Archive for March, 2010

Despite my fear that Scarlett Johansson is the ONE THING that can ruin what could be a truly awesome sequel, I present to you the newest Iron Man 2 promo poster for your viewing pleasure. This poster will be available for sale at WonderCon so … if this photo tickles your fancy, you might want to pick one up for your bedroom (ie. your parent’s basement) ;)

WonderCon has announced that you can pick up this mini-poster for Iron Man 2 this weekend in San Francisco at the convention’s Booth #242 (while supplies last – which, by looking at Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in the poster, probably won’t be long!)

I am SOOOO excited to see Iron Man 2 and I really hope my fears about ScarJo are unfounded … but I’ll just have to reserve judgment until I can see the film and judge for myself. Thus far, everything I’ve seen from the film has impressed me but, then again, Scarlett‘s inclusion in the promo stuff has been very minimal. Still, she looks hot … which I’m sure the Iron Man fans will appreciate. What do YOU think … is this a poster you’d like to hang on your wall?

My girl KC is gonna be just fine. She enjoyed her time on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and did her time on The Hills … who knows, mebbe she’ll go back to making movies that no one watches again? Whatever the future holds for Kristin, I know she will enjoy life on her own terms. She’s taken a lot flak during her stint as the main lady on The Hills (and many blame her for the show’s demise) but I’ve always been a fan of hers and will continue to be so. Keep your head up, KC! You will never be “Dunzo!” in my eyes ;D

Yikes!! Joan Rivers and the immeasurably tragic Bobby Trendy were spotted here in LA filming a new segment for Joan‘s TV show How’d You Get So Rich? Words fail at the level of … well, FAIL that is featured in these photos:

I’m pretty sure that TV Land, the network that airs How’d You Get So Rich?, is hoping to draw in viewers by featuring outrageous people but I shudder to imagine what type of audience is attracted by Bobby Trendy. I’m thinkin’ Joan decided to feature Bobby because she actually looks attractive in comparison. Mebbe Joan can give Bobby some better make-up tips and Bobby can, well, burn that fugly jacket so we never have to see it again? If I saw these two together on the public streets of LA, I’d deffo be running in the opposite direction … so, yeah, I think it’s safe to say this is one TV show I will NOT be watching. Ugh.

She once famously sang about turning back time. But a few weeks short of her 64th birthday, and it seems not even Cher can prevent the passage of years from taking their toll. Abandoning her trademark glamorous outfits for a skin-tight wetsuit and day-glo orange vest, the singer looked dishevelled as she tackled the surf while learning to paddleboard with friends in Hawaii. She confessed to having a facelift, as well as procedures to improve her teeth and breasts, and has even described herself as a ‘plastic surgery poster girl’. The singer says she felt pressure to look youthful in the highly competitive pop industry. She has said: ‘Everyone says I am terrified of getting old, but the truth is that in my job becoming old and becoming extinct are one and the same thing.’

Pshaw … Cher looks fine. Whether or not she’s had cosmetic help, she looks fantastic … that she’s enjoying a holiday with friends on a paddle-board is fantastic. Cher will outlive us all … it’s almost a certainty. I’m just happy to see her so active. Do your thing, Cher … I just hope I have your energy at 63 (going on 64)!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 15 years since Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was murdered by a woman she believed to be friend in Corpus Christi, TX … but today, March 31, is the sad anniversary of that tragic day. While I was unaware of Selena‘s immense talent when she lived, I came to know and become a fan of her work after her sad death when the film Selena was released in 1997 (Jennifer Lopez portrayed Selena in the film). Now, on the 15th anniversary of her death, I want to take a moment to remember Selena … because had she lived, I’m certain she would’ve been a major, international star:

Jenne Celine Madrid wasn’t alive when Selena, the most famous name in the world of Tejano music, was murdered March 31, 1995, inside a Corpus Christi hotel by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club. In fact, Madrid didn’t become familiar with the fallen singer until 2007, after seeing the 1997 biopic starring Jennifer Lopez. But she was immediately hooked. “I’ve watched it already, like, 10 times. I saw that she was young. I’m young, too,” says Madrid, who turns 12 in April. “I’m a Tejano singer. I want to get up there just like her.” Madrid lists Selena as a “favorite” alongside current names Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez (who was named after the Tejano icon). “I like her personality most. She’s a great performer,” says Madrid, who has been dubbed “la princesita de Tejas” (the little princess of Texas). She performed during Go Tejano Day on the RodeoHouston grounds, sang the National Anthem at a Houston Rockets game and won a competition at Sam Houston Race Park. Madrid, much like Selena did, has a preternaturally powerful, emotive voice. She’s equally adept at Spanish cumbias, rancheras and English pop tunes. It was a world Selena seemed destined to bridge just before her death. Selena’s posthumous 1995 album, the bilingual Dreaming of You, sold 4 million copies and hinted at her potential. She would have likely broken through the rote pop trappings that diluted crossover bids from Thal ía, Paulina Rubio, Shakira and Ricky Martin. “I loved the freedom of what she was doing. She was just so sure of herself,” says Tejano singer Stefani Montiel, a former labelmate who became friends with Selena and spent time with her offstage. “I was like, ‘This is what I want to do. I want to be like her.’ ” Subsequent posthumous albums, including the Selena film soundtrack and Live: The Last Concert (recorded at the 1995 RodeoHouston in the Astrodome), have passed the 1 million mark. The 2005 Selena ¡Vive! tribute concert, broadcast live from Reliant Stadium in Houston, is the most-viewed Spanish-language TV program in history. “She was definitely ahead of her time. She took a lot of the old-school influences, conjunto bands, and brought them into her modern sound,” says Nina Diaz, vocalist for San Antonio-based rock trio Girl in a Coma. “It will never go out of style. You’ll hear it in 30 years, and it will still seem fresh” … Fans are indeed still hungry for Selena music, even if it’s recycled hits. La Leyenda was released earlier this month in single, double and four-disc formats. It debuted in the top 10 on Billboard’s Latin Albums and Regional Mexican charts, despite featuring no new songs. “Selena is an icon. Just like people still jam to the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Madonna and Michael Jackson — no matter how the times change, Selena’s music will never be forgotten,” says Stephanie Tunchez, a mariachi singer who accompanied Ana Gabriel at the Selena ¡Vive! concert. “Whenever one of her songs comes on, you are always going to hear people say, ‘Oh hey, I love this song!’”

Selena has been called by many the “Mexican Madonna” and while I don’t necessarily think that comparison is quite right, you cannot deny that she was and still is a very important figure for Mexican-Americas. Jennifer Lopez did such a great job portraying Selena in the film that it’s hard not to believe that mebbe she is now living the life that would’ve been Selena‘s had she lived. Before the film, J. Lo was still only a Fly Girl backup dancer … it was her work on Selena that inspired her to make her first album and act in other films. But … it’s a waste of time to worry about what could’ve been. In honor of this sad anniversary, I’d rather focus on what was … Selena‘s career was phenomenal in its scope and I’m so happy to know that she still wins new fans even today. She was a very special person … and hopefully she will be remembered for all time. I’m sure Selena is resting peacefully wherever she may be right now … it is my hope that she knows how much she is still loved and greatly missed.

Yesterday was a fun but bizzy day. After I finished my work for the day, I had to run out and take care of a few errands around town before I could meet up with my buddy Dino for a Happy Hour catch-up session. I hadn’t seen him in a while so it was time for us to hang out for a bit. As always, we had a blast. I spent the rest of my evening running more errands before I made my way to the Viper Room on the Sunset Strip to see Melissa Auf Der Maur LIVE in concert:

I last saw MADM live at South by Southwest in Austin, TX last year (2009) so I was really anxious to see her perform again. She just released a new album titled Out Of Our Minds (OOOM) and last night’s show was a CD release party. After the jump, check out some of the pics I snapped last night … More »

Ewan McGregor is 39, Angus Young of AC/DC is 55, Rhea Perlman (Cheers) is 62, Gabe Kaplan (Welcome Back Kotter) is 65 and Christopher Walken is 67 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

With its group dance numbers and earnest covers of songs like Journey’s buoyant “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Glee seems like the sunniest show on TV. But darkness lurks just barely below the surface — the series also seamlessly weaves in plots about teen pregnancy, scheming wives and the most hard-hearted cheerleading coach to ever grip a whistle. Rolling Stone ventures into the Fox hit’s most controversial corners, uncovering the stories behind stolen car stereos, illegal substances, Facebook-revenge fantasies and more in the new issue. Glee creator Ryan Murphy, who previously helmed Nip/Tuck, explains the show’s double-edged appeal: “It’s about there being great joy to being different, and great pain.” Twenty-three-year-old Lea Michele, the Broadway talent who plays Rachel, tells RS about her tattoos, and Cory Monteith, who portrays jock Finn, owns up to a few childhood arrests for offenses that “didn’t hurt people.” Dianna Argon (slippery cheerleader Quinn) describes what it was like joining the cast late and falling victim to Monteith’s fart pranks, and 19-year-old Chris Colfer, who bravely plays gay teen Kurt, opens up about his own painful youth and his never-changing voice. “You know that forget-and-forgive bullshit? No, no, no, no, not for me,” he says of channeling childhood traumas into creative energy. “You take that grudge and let that grudge fester, and then you use it.” The only Glee cast member who talks back is Jane Lynch, but her softer side comes out when she stopped by the Rolling Stone offices recently for an Off the Cuff chat with Rolling Stone movie critic Peter Travers. For the full interview with Lynch, go to RollingStone.com.

It seems to me that this very obvs nod to the Friends cover of Rolling Stone is intentional. Friends was THE show that everyone watched, loved and talked about for many, many years … it appears that RS believes that Glee will be that show for us now. I can’t say I disagree … Glee really appeals to so many different people … and even if you don’t like watching the show, how can you resist the music? We may look back in a decade’s time and remember when Glee was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone after it enjoys a long run of success on TV, much like we remember the Friends issue all those years ago. This issue of RS goes on sale this Friday … you collectors might want to pick up a copy or two; Gleeks will wanna pick up at least 5 copies ;)

She said yes. Jennifer Lopez confirmed to Hitfix that she is signing with L.A. Reid’s Island Def Jam label. Rumors had been swirling since her split with Sony’s Epic Records that she and Reid would team up, but no official word from either party had been issued. Hitfix’s Greg Ellwood asked Lopez point blank “Are you signing with Def Jam” on Monday during an interview for “The Back-Up Plan” and she said yes, not once, but twice, smiling about the prospect. Word on the street is that Reid will not only sign Lopez, but will produce the actress/singer’s new album. Last month, Lopez and Epic split up before the release of her seventh studio album “Love” following the disappointing reaction to such singles as “Louboutins.” Her manager, Benny Medina, confirmed the split to Deadline Hollywood Daily, which broke the news. Since then, the IDJ chatter has only gotten louder. We can’t wait to see what Reid and Lopez come up with.

Yeah … you kinda knew that J. Lo‘s music career wasn’t gonna just go away that easily. To be honest, I’m hoping this new union with Def Jam will be a fruitful one. Altho Lopez‘s music has been quite shite for the past few years, she used to put out some amazingly fantastic pop/dance music back in the day. Let’s hope that this new recording contract will re-infuse her music with the vim and vigor it once had. Hope springs eternal … and my hope is that J. Lo‘s next album will be a club-banger rather than another sad disappointment.

With the huge success of Iron Man the movie and the excitement leading up to Iron Man 2 on May 7th, you can’t fault companies for wanting to merchandise. I’ve seen all sorts of things, from shirts, to frisbees (yes frisbees), to phone accessories with the Iron Man logo, colors and likeness all being sold to capitalize on what has become a very popular character even outside the regular comic buying community. What I didn’t expect to see however is limited edition Iron Man cologne from Diesel. Yup! That’s right, Diesel is releasing the latest edition of their “Only The Brave” fragrance, this time in a special Iron Man bottle and box. If you think about it it’s kind of perfect…how many comic book fans do you know who have an odor problem? This COULD BE the answer to smelly nerds everywhere and it’s an easy gift for the nerd who has everything. The fragrance will be available in stores in April for $67.50. We should talk a bit about the quality of the product though. The scent, is the same scent as all the previous editions of “Only The Brave” so essentially you’re buying this especially for the bottle and box, and sure it’s collectable but let’s really take a look shall we? The bottle is a red hand with gold detail wearing what looks like Diesel brass knuckles. Honestly this is a bit tacky and looks more like the D. Pooly variant cover from a few weeks ago than Iron Man. As for the box, any die hard fan can tell you that THAT’S NOT EVEN IRON MAN on the box…no, no, no, they instead put Iron Patriot on the box (for those not in the know, the current Identity of Norman Osborn, formerly Green Goblin). I can’t understand that decision. They can’t have been that stupid really, right? It must have been intentional, maybe because it’s a cool picture and they figured no one would notice, I really can’t say. All in all I think this is kind of ridiculous but if it gets convention hall air breathable than sure, I’m in. For those comic fans with a little less cash you’ll be happy to know this isn’t the only super hero themed fragrance on the market. Marvel previously released an entire line of superhero smells that you can find online for about $20 a bottle.

LOL!! This is just … no. Diesel doesn’t really market well to the comic book fan set, so I have no idea what the hell they were thinking with this idea. I suppose a few Diesel fans might pick up this version of Only the Brave but I doubt this will be a big money maker. As the article above states, why would you shell out almost $70 on a cologne when you can get an officially licensed fragrance like Captain America for much cheaper?

And, for that matter, do any dudes really want to smell like a comic book hero? It’s hard enough for Comic Book Guy-like dudes to get dates in the first place … can you imagine telling a woman that the fragrance you’re wearing is called Captain America? LMAO!! This just seems like such a bad idea all the way around … I mean … right?

Last week, to coincide with the release of a new promo poster, HBO announced the launch of a 12 week promo campaign leading up to the season 3 premiere of True Blood on June 13. Today we get our first look at the latest promo poster to be released from the campaign:

It’s simple, yet very clever. Those of you who know what the acronym MILF refers to can prolly guess what VILF refers to ;) As you may recall, these promo poster releases have been joined by short behind-the-scenes vid clip releases (HERE and HERE) all attempting to hype up the premiere of True Blood season 3 … and I’m thinkin’ it’s workin’. I’m pretty sure there will be new vamps introduced in the coming season of True Blood but just out of curiosity’s sake … which of the vamps we already know from the show would YOU consider a VILF?

We hear rumblings that the reason Martin stopped living his (rather badly concealed) lie was that his boyfriend, a fellow Puerto Rican, was tired of living in hiding and threatened to expose his sexuality.

It’s unclear if the man photographed above with Ricky Martin back in 2005 is this same boyfriend reportedly threatening him now but it’s possible that he’s been with the same partner this whole time. It turns out the man photographed above is Ricky‘s half-brother … so no boyfriend here. I posted these photos back in December ’05 on my blog and remember commenting then how free and liberated Ricky looked on the beach in his tiny speedo. It’s unknown if Ricky was involved with his current boyfrend way back then but I hope that Ricky has been living happily for quite some time now — even if in secret (as you can imagine, I was very happy to post any photos of Ricky Martin in a speedo … you know, for obvs reasons). Whether he was threatened with exposure or not, I’m still very happy that Ricky finally decided to come out of the closet. He now stands as a new public figure that countless young gays struggling with their own identities can identify with … and for that, kudos to him!

Capitalizing on the bad press that Lindsay Lohan has been getting recently due to her seemingly erratic behavior, her estranged father Michael Lohan has talking to the press, again — even tho he has vowed to not speak to the press about his daughter, in the hopes of forcing his daughter to seek help by entering into a rehab program (and, perhaps, to garner a little publicity for himself as well). Once Lindsay caught wind that her father was talking to the press again, she posted a few displeased messages of her own on her official Twitter profile:

Anyone else have a father that sells fake stories on them for money&dates a girl that works for tabloids? And has never paid child support? / Don’t you think he’d learn after years of being in jail on and off? / its too late in the game for him to learn…… It just hurts me and my family that he uses us for attention, OVER EXPOSURE& / my dad SHOULDN’T try&use FAME or HIS FAMILY to make money by exploiting us&telling lies. NO1′s dad’s should, in general-so foul

Michael Lohan is jumping on the “send Lindsay Lohan to rehab” bandwagon, telling TMZ his daughter is going to rehab one way or another. Michael says he’ll fly to L.A. in a week to see Lindsay and try to persuade her to go to rehab. Michael says Lindsay will either go to rehab voluntarily or he and several professionals will ensure it will happen involuntarily — her choice.

Michael Lohan just made a public ultimatum for Lindsay Lohan to go into rehab for a prescription drug problem. During the news conference, Michael said Lindsay was “not okay” and told all her enablers to “get the hell out of the way.” Michael said he doesn’t want Lindsay to end up like Brittany Murphy or DJ AM and would like her to go to rehab on Long Island … far from Hollywood. We’ve learned that although Michael says he’s made arrangements with Lindsay’s lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley — it’s not true. Chapman Holley has told Mike that she reps Lindsay — not him — and will do as her client instructs. Dina Lohan, who did not join in the news conference, tells TMZ that Lindsay is “fine.” After speaking with Dina, a TMZ producer asked Michael a question that made him totally go off.

Lindsay Lohan’s mom just exploded in anger because her ex-husband is holding a news conference about their daughter’s problems. Dina Lohan tells TMZ it’s outrageous Michael Lohan is trying to drag her into a public news conference. Dina says, “I have a criminal protective order against him ’til 2011. He’s 1 year behind in child support and he’s using this [Lindsay's problems] as a diversion.” Dina says, “Lindsay is in good hands. Everything is fine.” She adds, “He’s trashing a child he doesn’t even see.”

Man … what a crazy mess … it’s no wonder Lindsay seems to be such a mess herself. Can you imagine growing up amidst this sort of back and forth bullshizz? On the one hand, you know that L. Lo ain’t totally right … her erratic behavior seems very indicative of personal problems — so for mama Dina to say “she’s fine” seems pretty dangerous to me. On the other hand, you’ve got daddy Michael shouting into every video camera he can find in order to garner a little publicity while claiming he is trying to help a daughter he never sees. I just thank my lucky stars I wasn’t born a Lohan … my heart goes out to the Lohan kids. With parents like these, it’s a wonder any of them are even remotely functional.

As you recall, Xtina has been hyping up the release of this single all week long … and I think it paid off. Whereas I thought the 15-second preview we got to hear last week made the song sound a bit like a Britney Spears outtake, as a whole I think the track stands apart. I still think the beat sounds a bit like a Britney song but Xtina‘s vocals make the song her own. I love the vibe of the track … I think this first single will be a hit. If it’s indicative of the Bionic album as a whole, then the whole disc could be a smash Summer hit as well. What do y’all think of Not Myself Tonight … do we like?

While I cannot be sure when, exactly, the show will wrap for good, I do know that the cast and crew are filming the final scenes of the final eps. You can kinda see a bit of sadness in Kief‘s eyes … he knows the end is very near. Despite the fact that he is very excited to bring the world of 24 to the big screen somewhere down the line, he most surely must be feeling some sadness that the show he’s starred in for almost a decade is coming to an end. I’ve made it no secret that I am not happy with the way the current season of 24 is playing out but, there’s still time for it to get better. And, honestly, even if it doesn’t … I’ll still watch the show to the series finale. 24 has entertained me far much more than it has displeased me … I still consider myself a fan, to the end.

If she ends up becoming his princess, Kate Middleton will have to get used to trailing in Prince William’s wake. In the meantime she is snuggling up as close as she can. Or rather, clinging on for dear life as he races around their ski resort on a snowmobile. The couple took off on a breakneck tour of the French Alps during their week’s skiing holiday in Courchevel. Kate, 28, roared with delight as William, 27, took the snowmobile controls. At one point he turned round to make sure she was holding on before putting his foot down and taking off in a flurry of snow. Snowmobiles can go as fast as 80mph, although the couple are thought to have travelled a little more leisurely than that. They joined Kate’s parents, her sister Pippa and brother James on holiday, staying in a chalet that costs up to £15,000 a week to rent. The chalet comes with its own own chef and steam room. It is understood that it was hired and paid for by the Middletons but that William may have made a personal contribution towards the cost of his stay. Despite the obvious mod cons of their accommodation, the couple still managed to tear themselves away to sample some of the area’s legendary apres-ski – holding hands as they walked through the village’s picturesque snow-covered streets. It is the fourth time that Kate has joined the future king for a holiday abroad in the last 12 months.

Awww … they’re so cute … and still going strong, it seems. I’m a big fan of these two together so anytime they jet off to some romantic locale together, I’m happy to see it. While I sincerely doubt we’ll be hearing any wedding bells anytime soon, it’s clear that the couple are still on that path … should they manage to keep things together long enough. You know what they say, the couple the plays together – stays together. It’s nice to see Wills and Kate still playing together.

The weather has been glorious here in SoCal so SMG took the little Miss for a trip to Whole Foods and then for a stroll afterward. After the jump, check out a new pic of Charlotte Grace that shows just how cute she is … More »

Beautiful celebs like Kylie Minogue, Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer have teamed up to appear in photographs shot by Mario Testino for the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign (which, is the fashion industry’s response to breast cancer that raises awareness and much-needed funds for research). Here is Kylie‘s photo along with some deets about this year’s campaign:

Four years after she beat breast cancer, Kylie Minogue is raising awareness of the disease in a stunning new campaign. The 41-year-old strips off and wears nothing but a smile and silk sheet with the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer logo across in a striking image taken by acclaimed photographer Mario Testino. Joining Minogue in the revealing new campaign … is pregnant supermodel Claudia Schiffer and actress Sienna Miller. Minogue’s involvement in the campaign comes nearly five years after she was diagnosed with the disease in May 2005. After a year of treatment, which involved a partial mastectomy to remove a malignant tumour, followed by eight months of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the pop star was given the all clear in 2006 and was able to resume her Showgirl tour in November 2006. She said: ‘It means so much to me to be part of this year’s campaign for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. ‘I wholeheartedly support their efforts to raise funds for the vital work undertaken by Breakthrough Breast Cancer.’ The new images coincide with the launch of the new Target campaign, which raises money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer in partnership with various retail outlets. The campaign has raised over £10.5million for the charity since it launched in 1996. Thirty per cent of items on sale for the campaign will go directly to Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Visit fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org for more information.

I love this campaign … I’m so glad to see that it’s still going strong all these years after it was launched in ’96. I can’t think of a better spokesmodel than Kylie Minogue … but Sienna Miller and Claudia Schiffer do a pretty good job as spokesmodels as well. Check out their photos after the jump … More »

Hold on your seats Twihards, there’s a new Stephenie Meyer release from The Twilight Saga on the horizon. Unfortch, Meyer‘s next Twilight book will NOT be the much ballyhooed Midnight Sun (which tells the Twilight tale from vampire Edward Cullen‘s perspective) but, instead, a short novella based on the short life of a minor vampire character from the book Eclipse. Here is our first look at the cover art for this new novella titled The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella which will be released on June 5:

Fans whose hopes were dashed when Stephenie Meyer sidelined Midnight Sun, her planned fifth book in the Twilight Saga, after it was leaked online, have reason to get excited. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers will publish Meyer’s The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella on Saturday, June 5. The book goes on sale at 12:01 a.m. with a 1.5 million-copy first printing (an e-book version will be available at 6:00 a.m.). One dollar for each copy sold from the first printing will be donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner tells the story of a newborn vampire introduced in Eclipse, who will also appear in the film version of Eclipse, scheduled to be released on June 30. The book was originally envisioned as part of Meyer’s The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide. “I’m as surprised as anyone about this novella,” said Meyer in a statement. “When I began working on it in 2005, it was simply an exercise to help me examine the other side of Eclipse, which I was editing at the time. I thought it might end up as a short story that I could include on my website. Then, when work started on The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide, I thought the Guide would be a good fit for my Bree story. However, the story grew longer than I anticipated, until it was too long to fit into the Guide.” In addition to the print edition, the book will be available to read online for free from June 7 to July 5 at breetanner.com. “[S]ince this story had always been an extra for me, and was meant to be released with the Guide, I wanted to be able to offer it to my fans for free,” Meyer said in a post about the book on her Web site. “You all have bought a ton of my books, and I wanted to give you this story as a gift.”

Kudos to Meyer for deciding that this release, which will surely be purchased by every single self-respecting Twilight fan on Earth, will benefit the Red Cross. At last … Twilight will serve to benefit mankind in some real way :) I know there is much demand for Midnight Sun but this release is even more important because it will raise much needed funds for a very important cause. I’m telling you, Midnight Sun will come someday … this is one Stephenie Meyer release I can really get behind. Who’s excited?

Last night I was very fortunate enough to be able to attend a listening party/acoustic performance by the new duo Palmdale made up of Kay Hanley and Linus Dotson. Kay and Linus got together to write songs for other artists and decided to start up their own project in the process. Their debut EP Get Wasted is available NOW on iTunes and last night we lucky folks here in LA were treated to an intimate performance of some of the songs at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub:

I’ve been rocking out to the Palmdale EP Get Wasted for the past 2 weeks … and I love it! It is THE perfect summer soundtrack and I really think all y’all will love it. After the jump, listen to Get Wasted IN FULL to see what I’m talking about … More »

Norah Jones is 31, Celine Dion is 42, Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills, 90210) is 46, MC Hammer is 47, Eric Clapton is 65 and Warren Beatty is 73 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

At last … the 3D remake of Clash of the Titans held its first movie premiere this week signaling the countdown to the film’s release. Titans will open in theaters this Friday (tho, some theaters will be showing the film as early as 8PM Thursday night) but last night, the folks in London got to see the movie in full at the world premiere of Clash of the Titans which was held at Empire Leicester Square in London, England. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals:

Sure, the premiere was a bit light on the big stars but I suspect any premiere that takes place in either NYC or LA (or both) will bring out more of the celebs … but for me, the draw is the film itself. I LOVE the original Clash of the Titans but was far too young to see it in theaters when it was released originally … I’ve been really excited about this remake/update version from the start. I was lucky enough to score tickets to an 8PM showing here in LA this Thursday night so I can see the film before I have to jet off to Connecticut to spend Passover/Easter with David’s family. I am SOOOO excited. I’ve been impressed with everything I’ve seen of this new version … I just hope the film lives up to my expectations. As a fan of Greek myth, I’m really looking forward to seeing this tale come alive on the big screen, in 3D! Woot!!

Proud new mother Gisele Bundchen introduced her baby son Benjamin to the Brazilian side of his family for the first time at her twin sister’s wedding over the weekend. The supermodel and American football player husband Tom Brady jetted to Barra Do Ribeiro, near Porto De Alegre, with their 16-week-old son to attend fraternal twin Patricia’s marriage to Rodrigo Pereira at the Laurentia Vineyard. As the maid of honour, Bundchen, 29, wore a pink layered Missoni 2005 dress and dressed her son in a mini tuxedo. As Bundchen fulfilled her duties taking care of the bride, New England Patriots player Tom, 32, kept hold of Benjamin and carried around the baby’s bag full of nappies during the reception. The trip marked baby Benjamin’s first ever holiday and provided an opportunity for him to meet Bundchen’s grandparents and the rest of the family. Following the afternoon ceremony, the bride and groom joined 70 people to celebrate their wedding with a reception late into the night. As part of Earth Hour, the environmentally conscious bride asked her guests to sit by candlelight for an hour after turning the lights off. While spending the weekend in Brazil, Bundchen told the local press she only spoke in Portuguese to her baby son. She said: ‘I only talk in Portuguese when I’m with him. I think he must get used to the language and learn it – it is important to be bilingual. He’s not just Brady, he’s a Bundchen too.’

Awww … so cute!! Firstly, I LOVE that the Bündchen family observed Earth Hour, even tho they had a wedding going on! Secondly, I love that Gisele is raising Benjamin to be bilingual. Not only will that child be blessed with beauteous good looks but he’ll also be able to speak fluently in at least 2 languages … which is very important in this day and age. It sounds like The Brady Bündch had themselves a great time in Brazil over the weekend … I imagine they might stay there a bit longer to enjoy some more Bündchen hospitality.

When Madonna needed inspiration for her latest fashion collection, she didn’t have to look far. The pop icon teamed up with her 13-year-old daughter Lourdes to create Material Girl, an affordable juniors’ clothing line that debuts at Macy’s this fall. This is not Madonna’s first foray into designing. In 2007, she teamed up with H&M to create a limited edition collection, M by Madonna. This time around, her venture into fashion will be long-lasting: She has launched a new company called MG ICON which, in addition to producing the juniors’ line, will also put out other collections including eyewear. The Material Girl collection includes jeans, shoes, fingerless gloves, necklaces and other accessories. Many of the pieces are inspired by Madonna and her daughter’s dance roots. Madonna recently spoke about Material Girl, her relationship with Lourdes (nicknamed Lola) and her fashion risks and regrets.

Why did you want to do a juniors’ line?Madonna: Lola has been bothering me for ages about designing clothes. Stella McCartney is a good friend of mine and she got her mind thinking when Lola was a little girl, about 8 years old. She started giving Lola fabrics and inviting her into her showroom and asking her opinion on things, giving her sketch books and stuff like that. Stella always pushed her. I have a lot of friends who are clothing designers whether it is Gaultier or Dolce and Gabbana. (Lola) has been around all of the shoots I have done and all of the campaigns I have done. She is always hanging out backstage. The last two tours I have done, she has been working in the wardrobe department. On this last tour she dressed all of the dancers.

What has Lola taught you about fashion?Madonna: I am boring basically. She reminds me of me when I was younger. She just goes for it and tries different things. It doesn’t look like she thought too much about it. That is how I used to be, but after years and years of everybody commenting on the way I look and dress and being photographed, one starts to become self-conscious and starts to plan things more. You end up judging yourself more, what looks good and what doesn’t.

What has it been like to work with your daughter?Madonna: It is good because she does have good taste in fashion. I respect her taste and I rarely disagree with her.

Was part of you hesitant about Lola designing this line as she would be thrust into the spotlight?Madonna: That is why I am here talking about the line and she is not. Eventually I will let her. I feel like she needs to get into high school and focus on her studies, her lessons. She got into the high school of the performing arts. She has a lot of work to do. I don’t want her to be distracted. She will eventually be able to talk about it. I am going to be happy when she does because she can speak much more clearly in and in a more informed way than I can about a line she is ultimately designing. I just stand in the background and go, “That’s cool. That’s not cool.”

Madonna‘s interview about the Material Girl clothing line for Macy’s continues after the jump … More »

He was a long way from the subs’ bench – and from the football pitch for that matter. But injured David Beckham managed to raise a smile at the weekend as he took a spectator’s seat to watch his club LA Galaxy’s home win. The England star was pictured in a VIP box with a huge grin across his face as he watched the U.S. club beat New England Revolution 1-0. His cheery smile made a welcome change from his gloomy appearance of late after he pulled his Achilles tendon while playing for A.C. Milan earlier this month – the Italian club from which he is currently on loan. But while his World Cup career looks over, it seems watching the game on Saturday at California’s Home Depot Centre gave the sportsman cause to smile. It has emerged that the BBC and ITV are battling to sign Becks as a pundit during this summer’s World Cup. With his dreams of playing for England in the tournament over, Beckham is said to be considering offers from both channels. They believe his signing could be pivotal in a ratings war when the event kicks off in South Africa in June. A source revealed: ‘Everyone is on tenterhooks. Having Becks would be ratings gold – and also a disaster for the other side. ‘Initially, everyone just presumed he wouldn’t do it – but now he’s seriously thinking about it, it’s turned all the World Cup planning on its head.’ But sources say the long-term positioning of Brand Beckham is more important than any money the channels may pay the star, who is estimated to be worth £125million. There is also still a chance Beckham could go to the World Cup with the squad as a talisman. Manager Fabio Capello has said he believes the former captain can be ‘an important man in the dressing room’ despite his injury.

Aww … even injured and on his butt David Beckham is still a hot commodity. Despite the fact that his World Cup career is over, it’s nice of the English Team to consider taking him along with them as a good luck charm. I’m not sure if Becks will be happy to be relegated to the benches at the World Cup but it’s gotta feel nice to be wanted. I could see Becks in the role as TV commentator tho … any of these options seem viable and likely. I guess we’ll have to wait and see which of these kind offers Becks decides to take.

Last week we got official confirmation from MTV that their hit dramatic yet not entirely reality TV series The Hills will end after the upcoming 6th season. The show that was once a pop culture phenomenon has cooled to the point of cancellation … but before the show goes off the air for good, there’s still one more season of over-the-top drama to get thru before The End. Here are a few screencaps from the just released video trailer for the final season of The Hills:

Over the past 4 years “The Hills” revolutionized reality television and became a pop culture phenomenon. MTV will now redefine how the reality drama all ends in Season 6. The last 12 episodes EVER of “The Hills” will conclude like no other show before. How will it end? What will be revealed? Who will return? How will they say goodbye? The drama begins on Tuesday, April 27th as “The Hills: Final Season” premieres at 10pm ET/PT followed by “The City” at 10:30pm ET/PT on MTV. “We are lucky and honored to have worked with this cast and tell their stories for this long, and we are grateful to the many dedicated fans who have stuck with us over the years. We owe it to those fans, the cast and the show to go out on a high note. And this season will deliver on that goal in terms of drama, story, real emotion and an organic culmination of this saga,” said Tony DiSanto, President of Programming, MTV … Viewers wanting more can head over to http://TheHills.MTV.com to watch full episodes, browse through exclusive cast photo flipbooks and get the latest gossip on the Remote Control blog. Since its premiere in 2006, “The Hills” has been a phenomenal performer on MTV. The previous season ranked as the #3 original cable series of 4Q09 and was a top 10 original series for 2009 among F12-34. The Hills dominated its Tuesday time period, ranking #1 versus all television competition among both P12-34 and F12-34. The series is MTV’s most DVR’d series, averaging a 52% bump when Live+7 ratings are factored in. “The Hills” is created by Adam DiVello. Adam DiVello, Liz Gateley and Sara Mast serve as executive producers. Catherine K. Whyte is MTV’s executive-in-charge of production.

This trailer gives us a look at the surgically-enhanced “Heidi 3.0″ (and the new face that even her mother can’t love), the close relationship between Kristin and Brody (as well as the introduction of his new girlfriend), Audrina‘s new boyfriend Ryan Cabrera (who, you may recall, made his reality TV debut on the MTV series The Ashlee Simpson Show a few years ago) and the marital woes of Speidi. Altho the show is ending, it looks like MTV wants to send it off with a bang! After the jump, check out the trailer in full and judge for yourselves … More »

As you may recall, we also got to hear a 15-second preview of Tonight on Friday … but the full track will debut in about 6 hours (there’s a countdown clock on Xtina‘s official website). While we wait for the track to drop, let’s check out the other promo pics that Xtina released on her site … More »

The JS cast have been saying their goodbyes on Twitter already because once they start filming the show, they are contractually barred from interacting on any social media. Here’s a sampling of the tweet-byes from the cast:

Sn00ki: My last tweeting tonight ! Then Second season bitches, much love to all the fans, support and the tik tok haaatas! :) xox / Off to do some serious business !!! Thank you everybody for all the love and support!! See yous soooonnnnn :) xoxo

DJPaulyD: Winding Down To The Last Tweets People ,,,, Appreciate All The Love Fans Couldnt Do it Without U !! Keep It Up and Thankyou !!! / Going To Do What I Do ,, Make History !!! Wish Me Luck , And Keep Showing Your Love And Support !!! See U Soon !!! Love DJ Pauly D

ItsTheSituation: your boy SiTcH rollin into South shredded for all the haters – get ur GTL game up or ur on GRENADE PATROL / one of my last tweets – LUv my fans friends n family – THank u for all support – SItuation NAtion – The LEgend WILL Deliver -JERSEY 2-Epic

Brace yourselves, Miami … they are on their way. I’m hearing that they might be showing up today … but I’m certain they’ll be there this week. Now you Floridians know where NOT to be for the next few months ;)

Ricky Martin, Latin popstar, actor and father of twins, has today confirmed long-running rumors that he is a gay man. On his personal blog on his official website, Ricky opens up about his decision to announce to the world that he is a “proud … homosexual man”. I, for one, am thrilled!! Anytime a person finds the strength within themselves to open up about something so personal on a large public scale there is much cause for celebration! Here is the full text of Ricky‘s blog announcement:

A few months ago I decided to write my memoirs, a project I knew was going to bring me closer to an amazing turning point in my life. From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time. Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside. Writing this account of my life, I got very close to my truth. And thisis something worth celebrating. For many years, there has been only one place where I am in touch with my emotions fearlessly and that’s the stage. Being on stage fills my soul in many ways, almost completely. It’s my vice. The music, the lights and the roar of the audience are elements that make me feel capable of anything. This rush of adrenaline is incredibly addictive. I don’t ever want to stop feeling these emotions. But it is serenity that brings me to where I’m at right now. An amazing emotional place of comprehension, reflection and enlightenment. At this moment I’m feeling the same freedom I usually feel only on stage, without a doubt, I need to share. Many people told me: “Ricky it’s not important”, “it’s not worth it”, “all the years you’ve worked and everything you’ve built will collapse”, “many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature”. Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth. Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions.

Previously we’ve seen Iron Man 2 posters HERE, HERE and HERE. This is the fist poster to feature all of the principal characters … but the real draw is the new trailer. This one was made for TV, check it out after the jump … More »

Kellan Lutz, who usually does a great job of lookin’ all hawt and shizz, stepped out to pick up some supplies at a party goods store in Sherman Oaks, CA over the weekend while wearing an absolutely DREADFUL out fit. His skin-tight green shirt (which looks way too much like crushed velvet) clashed horribly with his hyper-yellow hair color … check it out:

Yeah … I think the world you’re looking for is, YIKES! I have to say … I’m all for adventures in hair coloring but this shade of yellow is never a good look on anyone. Considering how hot Kellan Lutz is, I’d be willing to overlook the bad hair color OR, I’d be willing to overlook the terrible outfit … but coupled together? No. He’d be better off just wearing nothing at all … which is actually what I think we’d all prefer ;)

The video for Kelis’ new single, “Acapella,” [premiered] today at www.iamkelis.com. Based on a treatment written by the GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter, the video was lensed in Los Angeles by co-directors Chris Cottam, Rankin and Nicole Ehrlich. Kelis performed at numerous events during last week’s Winter Music Conference 2010 in Miami, including shows with will.i.am, Benny Benassi and David Guetta. She’ll perform on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Tuesday, April 6th. “Acapella” topped Billboard’s Dance/Club Play Songs chart earlier this month and is now No. 1 on Music Week’s Pop Club Chart in the U.K., where it’s been added by the BBC’s Radio 1. The track, which appeared in People’s “Hot Downloads” column and on Entertainment Weekly’s “The MustList,” was produced by David Guetta (producer of The Black Eyed Peas’ hit single “I GOTTA FEELING”). “Acapella” is the lead single from Kelis’ upcoming album, Flesh Tone, which will be released this summer by will.i.am Music Group/Interscope Records. Flesh Tone, her first album in nearly four years, was singled out as one of 2010’s “Best Bets” by Billboard. In addition to working with Guetta, Kelis recorded Flesh Tone with several other influential producers, including Free School, Boys Noize, Burnz, DJ Ammo, Benny Benassi and label head will.i.am, who called Kelis “a best kept secret,” in a recent interview with Vibe.com, noting: “She can be big…As big as the Peas.”

OMG … I love this track and the music video is a trip! There’s even a cameo by Kelis‘s baby boy Knight. After the jump, check out the video in full and see what you think … More »

Now that Shannen Doherty has stepped back into the limelight by competing as a contestant on season 10 of Dancing with the Stars, her movements around town have become more noticeable by the paparazzi. Whether it’s a good thing or not, Shannen is back on the radar. I, personally, think it’s a good thing cuz I’m totally on Team Shannen! Here are a couple pics of Shannen with her boyfriend making their way out of Fred Segal in West Hollywood, CA this weekend after a quick shopping trip:

I don’t think Shannen necessarily likes all the attention her fame brings her but here’s hoping she warms up to it a bit. I’d love for her stint on DWTS to lead to something more substantial somewhere down the line. It’d be fantastic to have her back on TV again :) I guess we’ll have to wait and see … in the meantime, Shannen will need our support on DWTS. Go, Team Shannen, GO!

Yesterday afternoon I finally got to meet Darion’s sister Damien, her husband Kirk and their beautiful baby boy Grayson. I took a break from my midday work to meet up with with for a quite bite to eat at Mao’s on Melrose Blvd:

Grayson was a bundle of energy for most of lunch but he wore himself out and then passed out ;) He is such a cutie. I’m so glad I finally got to meet these members of Darion’s fam.

I spent the rest of the day taking care of biz and then Darion talked me into going to the movies with him last night. He suggested How to Train Your Dragon and, considering all the good stuff I heard about the film, I was game. We had a blast!

Dragon is SOOOO cute!! In IMAX 3D, it’s insane. I loved the movie so much … all I kept thinking was how much I want a dragon as a pet ;) This movie is really great for kids but our theater was full of adults and everyone seemed to love it. I have such an affinity for Viking tales that this modern story set amongst the Vikings was really quite a treat. I loved this movie ENTIRELY and wholeheartedly suggest y’all check it out.

Lucy Lawless is 42, John Popper of Blues Traveler is 43, Elle Macpherson is 47, Amy Sedaris is 49, Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction is 51 and Eric Idle is 67 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Last Friday the cast and crew of the long-running daytime drama The Young and the Restless celebrated the 37th anniversary of the soap in a lavish celebration that brought together many Y&R alums from the past to party with some members of the current cast. It’s hard to believe that the show is now 37 years old and still goin’ very strong:

Because my mother and sister were fans of the show as I was growing up, I have a certain affinity for the soap … and have for many years (not quite 37 years but, well, close). I know that daytime dramas are dropping like flies these days but I’m hopeful that we still have many more years of Young and Restless drama to look forward to. After the jump, check out some photos from the Y&R 37th Anniversary party that was held here in SoCal earlier this month … More »

Don’t you just love how little Miss Shiloh Nouvel is so expressive in her dress? I love that she always stands out from the rest of her siblings … I guess in a big family like this, kids gotta do what they gotta do to get noticed. I know we can’t see it very well, but Zahara Marley‘s little outfit looks fierce … at least from the back. Pax Thien is prolly wearing whatever he could find on the floor. I just love this family … it’s always fun to check in on them to see what’s going on.

Okay, Gleeks, this one’s for you … Mark Salling, who plays the mohawked Noah Puck Puckerman on the hit Fox TV series Glee, is featured in the new issue of Flaunt magazine … and he is lookin’ good, y’all. While I cannot get on board with the silly mohawk (which he *must* wear for the role), I can deffo get on board with the rest of him … behold:

Mark Salling has it all. As Noah “Puck” Puckerman, on the biggest hit TV show of the year, Glee, Salling gets to play the mohawked bad boy star quarterback, as well as the sensitive music lover. The show is beloved – Salling now answers fan mail from tweens and mothers from all over the world – and his storyline keeps getting more complex, affording him the ability to show off his emotional range. We’re psyched to see how it all plays out for Puck, and even more for Salling, whose timbre and stock both continue to rise.

Yes, please! But while this pic is hot, there’s another that you’re gonna wanna check out. Trust me … More »

The second “Waiting Sucks” promo of “True Blood” has been released and it again uses “on location” footage. This time the stage is given to Sam who is asleep in his car before someone wakes him up with the tip of a gun. Sam’s family is explored in the third season which is premiering on June 13. He gets a younger brother Tommy Mickens who is portrayed by Marshall Allman. Meanwhile, Tony-nominated actress J. Smith-Cameron will play the recurring role as Melinda Mickens aka Sam’s mother. Tommy is a dirty but good looking youngster who works at a Tire Depot in Arkansas while Melinda is described as “dirt-poor, hung-over and trashy-looking”. Creator Alan Ball also said that he would explore the relationship between Bill and Sam. He said the two men who competed for Sookie’s love have an “erotic connection”.

I know some folks were none-too-pleased that the promo clip we saw last week was all-too-short and I’m afraid this clip is very short as well but … something is better than nothing, right? Check out this clip in full, after the jump … More »

Madonna is set to fly to Africa to introduce her adopted daughter Mercy to her biological family, according to a U.K. report. The “Material Girl” ‘s four year old spent her formative years in an orphanage in Malawi before the singer took her home last year. The tot’s father James Kambewa launched a legal bid last April to regain custody of his daughter, but gave up his fight just two months later, June 2009. But now he’s preparing to be reunited with little Mercy. Britain’s The Sun claims Madonna is flying the girl, as well as her adopted son David, back to Malawi next week to meet the families they left behind. A source tells the publication, “She promised to take them back to their homeland. She sees it as vital they understand their roots. Mercy’s meeting with her family will be particularly emotional as it’s the first time she’s seen them since last summer.”

Aww … I love this. Madonna does an amazing job of ensuring that all of her children spend time in Africa so that all of her children can learn about their family’s extended culture. Despite the fact that Madonna‘s children will grow up with access to untold wealth, it’s clear that she wants all of her children to learn about and appreciate the lives of those that are less fortunate. Working to keep the familial and cultural ties strong for her youngest children will, hopefully, make sure they grow up well-rounded and very appreciative of their lives. Madonna may be many things … but being a good mother is prolly her greatest achievement.

See … I always knew that Gerard Butler was a cheeky guy … and now, I can prove it. Jennifer Aniston and co-star/rumored beau Gerard Butler were spotted in Paris, France this week doing promo for their new film The Bounty Hunter. Jen and Gerry posed for a photo and he thought it would be funny to, well, finger Jen’s bum as the photo was taken … what he didn’t know was that the pair were being photographed from behind as well:

It’s official … Jennifer Aniston has been Butlered. As Gerard Butler and Jen struck poses from the front, an enterprising photog got the real story from behind. The pics were taken on the Seine River in Paris, during their tour hawking “The Bounty Hunter.” Looks like the hunter caught his prey.

In town to promote The Bounty Hunter, the costars enjoyed a private river cruise on the Seine Saturday evening. Though the single stars have denied romance rumors, a source tells PEOPLE they looked as friendly and flirty as ever on their boat ride. “They were very close,” the source says. “They really warmed up the room” … Aniston and Butler stayed close throughout the night, the source said, “hugging and touching each other” on the cruise, which docked later at the Quai d’Orsay. With Sunday night scheduled for a Champs-Elysées red carpet premiere of their romantic comedy, the costars will then spend several days traveling across Europe.

Folks, they are SO doing it. God bless ‘em … I’m sure they could both use the lovin’. Here’s to a happy trip for the both of them … Bums away!!

Congratulations are in order for Bravo TV reality star Bethenny Frankel, the formerly unlucky in love sole single castmember (ie. never married) of The Real Housewives of NYC, and her new hubby Jason Hoppy who got themselves hitched in Manhattan yesterday! Bethenny, knocked up and fabulous, finally said I Do to the man of her dreams … which was NOT filmed for airing on RHONYC later in the season. We’re gonna have to wait until Frankel‘s own spin-off show, Bethenny’s Getting Married, debuts on Bravo TV later this year. Here are a couple photos of the just-weds as they made their way out of their boisterous wedding reception last night and some deets from the affair:

Bravo, Bethenny! Real Housewives of New York City’s Bethenny Frankel and her beau Jason Hoppy were married at the Four Seasons in New York on Sunday. “I’m a real housewife!” Frankel tweeted on Monday morning. “On way to honeymoon. best night of my life. your messages were so beautiful & sentimental. have a great week tweeps!” The couple’s guests included Frankel’s castmates Alex McCord and Ramona Singer and Today show co-host Hoda Kotb. Singer tells PEOPLE the wedding was “amazing – the Rolls Royce of weddings!” Guests dined on lobster ravioli, sirloin steak and fish, and a red velvet wedding cake. The night “was full of emotion and laughter – a beautiful wedding,” said a friend of Frankel’s. Frankel, 39, who is seven months pregnant, has been with Hoppy, a businessman, since late 2008. She found out she was pregnant last October, and wanted to get married before becoming a mom. She said at the time: “I got engaged, we got pregnant, and we’re gonna get married. It’s a miracle.” Bravo’s cameras were on hand at the wedding to capture the occasion for Frankel’s upcoming Housewives spin-off, Bethenny’s Getting Married.

I honestly never understood how Bethenny got cast on the show in the first place … she’s was not a housewife at all and yet, she was cast on a show about housewives. Still, she’s among my fave characters on the show. I’m glad she’s finally coming into her own … it’s about time she stop being the “underdog” and become the star she’s meant to be. Congrats to her and hubby Jason … next up, the birth of their baby. Bethenny‘s life seems really great right now … I hope she enjoys it and wish the Hoppys a lifetime of happiness! Mazel Tov!

In June of last year, we got to see a few photos of Madonna‘s much-younger toyboy Jesus Luz in the Brazilian magazine Joyce Pascowitch and today we get to see a few more (outtake?) photos from the shoot. The photos were snapped by the very talented photographer Tom Munro … behold:

This, my fine friends, is what is known as “high fashion”. Yep. After the jump, if you dare, see a few more high fashion photos of horny little Jesus … More »

Yesterday my dear David jetted off to NYC to spend the week with his sister before I meet up with him and his family in Connecticut for Passover/Easter next weekend. After I dropped him off at the airport, I met up with my DEAR friends Tammy and Russ for an LA Kings hockey game at the Staples Center. Tammy got us the SWEEEET hook-up in an VIP suite and, let me tell you, it was Posh, y’all:

I’ve been in suites before but this one was SICK! It was like we were in a very nice living room, fully stocked with food and drink, and a profession hockey game was taking place in the room with us. Center ice … it don’t get much better than that. Oh wait, yes, it does … there’s a full McDonald’s inside the Staples Center and at about the 2nd period, a fancy dessert cart comes along to all of the suites. It was … THE best hockey game I’ve ever been to … and I barely watched the game :)

This afternoon, I met up with Darion so that I could meet (finally) his sister Damien, brother in law Kurt and nephew Grayson. I had to quit blogging for a bit so I could sup with them … I’ll have a fun pic to share tomorrow.

It’s hot outside, y’all … I need to get out of the house. Happy Sunday!!

Lady Gaga is 24, Julia Stiles is 29, Vince Vaughn is 40, Cheryl James-Wray of Salt-N-Pepa is 44, Reba McEntire is 55 and Dianne Wiest is 62 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Huzzah!! It is time, once again, to gawk and gander at the Hot Dude of the Week, y’all!! Today, we get to meet a FINE lookin’ chap who was photographed by Karl Simone … as you can see from the following photo, all this week’s Hot Dude needs is a pair of jeans to look smokin’ hot … especially since he’s not actually wearing the jeans. Meet Allen Walker:

Yes, people … Allen, here, is a great candidate for the Hot Dude of the Week. Smoldering good looks, chiseled muscles, pants in hand … we’ve got a winner!! With the sunny weather heatin’ up all over the place (especially here in SoCal, where temps will be in the 80′s today) it would make sense that people might want to wear as little or NO clothing at all. Thank you Allen for showing us how it’s done … right ;) Enjoy!!

On the music bug: “I went to Coachella and for the first time I thought ‘OK I’m ready to do this again’, I got that burn-y feeling.”

On her recent tragedies: “When Mum became ill with dementia, it knocked the stuffing out of me. I didn’t want to make music anymore, didn’t feel creative, I could barely function.” [...] “Friends of mine lost their six-year old son to cancer last year and asked me to sing Life on Mars, at the memorial. We were all in so much pain but it meant so much to them that I could sing that song and so much to me that I was able to do something. It made me realize how music sustains people. I don’t know why I turned my back on it.”

On her future plans: “There is talk about doing my own record, reforming with Garbage and a short film too. Whether it’ll all come off, I don;t know. I’ve learnt in life that I need to take it one day at a time.”

On her body issues: “I used to get upset that I wasn’t pretty enough and I didn’t enjoy photo shoots. But when I watched myself on TV, I saw myself in a normal light and I’d aged. It came as a relief that I could accept who I was and where I was.”

On fear of aging: “I think that comes from fear of not having chances, not being able to live the life you want. But I believe if you’re an interesting person your life is not going to shrink. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m comfortable with getting older, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to be told that my life is over because I’m supposedly over the hill.”

On her latest music discoveries: “I’m crazy about Them Crooked Vultures, absolutely nuts about that record. I love the new Spinnerette record and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I’m crazy about Karen O. She’s one of the few women who’s come up in my generation who has genuinely thrilled me.”

OMG … LOVE this interview!! The thought of Shirley making music again just gets me all hot and bothered. Please, Shirley, make a solo album AND another Garbage album. Your fans are dying for your music! But, before I plead for new music some more, let’s look at some of the other photos of Shirley from his issue of Elle magazine — after the jump … More »

Former Hills star Jason Wahler says he felt incredible “shame” when he made headlines again last weekend for his sixth alcohol-related arrest in recent years. A week prior, online video footage also surfaced of Wahler, 23, being cuffed by Mexican police in Cabo San Lucas March 11 after he allegedly got into a club brawl. “I am very, very ashamed of everything,” he tells UsMagazine.com. “I am very sorry for everything that’s happened.” So what went wrong for Wahler, who claimed in 2007 that he had cleaned up his act and even did a stint with inpatient rehab? About six months ago, he tells Us he moved back to Orange County from L.A. and enrolled in the University of Phoenix in Fountain Valley, Calif., hoping to earn a business degree. He even began going to AA up to five times a week. “I had a sponsor and stuff,” says Wahler. “You know, the whole thing.” While traveling to L.A. “doing the whole movie stuff,” he says he “got distracted” and “started falling out of the program … I lost contact with my sponsor.” He slowly began drinking again. “It was one drink or a few,” he says. “It wasn’t a binge or anything.” On March 19, he was taken into custody at 10:54 p.m. for DUI while driving a 2008 Chevy Tahoe. He likely will face jail time. He declined to talk about the incident, but he tells Us, “I think everything happens for a reason. God did that to me, so maybe I would be at [rock] bottom and want to climb my way to the top.” With the help of his new girlfriend and friends and family, he returned to AA this past Wednesday. “It’s all about getting back on track,” Wahler tells Us. “My girlfriend, my parents, my brothers, my sisters and a handful of my best friends are willing to do everything to keep me out of trouble. “I never want to drink again,” he adds. He says he’ll also avoid L.A. “unless it’s crucial for work. If I do go, I will go with my father or somebody who is a sober support. But I definitely won’t be going out! “If I don’t stay sober,” he tells Us, “I am not going to have a life.”

To his credit, I will say that it sounds like he’s got the right attitude … now. But I’m concerned that his blaming God for “doing that to him” is proof that he is not taking responsibility for his actions. I’m not sure what “movie stuff” keeps bringing him to LA but mebbe he needs to find a different line of work. It’s hard not to be suspicious of this latest apology but … for his sake, I hope he really means it this time. To be arrested 7 times in only 23 years is pretty insane. Best of luck drying out, Jason. I truly hope you are successful.

Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson may have broken up ages ago but the pair were reunited in cyberspace for moment yesterday on the social networking site known as Twitter. L. Lo, amongst her stream of not-very-interesting tweets, posted a message asking the Twitterverse for more followers … Sam, an avid Twitter user herself, responded to Lindsay‘s plea. Here is how the exchange went down:

Hahahaha!! It’s unclear if Sam‘s tweet was meant to be cheeky or she really wants her to go away — permanently but … I LOLed. While I’m bummed that L. Ron couldn’t make it work, I think things work out for the best. Lindsay was stable for a very long time when she was with Samantha … now, she’s a mess again without Sam. Ah well … people need to save themselves, not rely on others for salvation. Keep tweeting, ladies … sometimes you can be very entertaining :)

Mischa Barton, who hasn’t really done much in recent months to warrant all that much attention (especially since her most recent TV series got canceled after only 2 episodes), finally did something this week that is worth discussing … homegirl, while taking a moment to enjoy some alone-time by herself at Coldwater Canyon Park in Beverly Hills, CA, decided the time was right to go digging for stuff in her nose … natch, while the paparazzi were snapping away:

Oh, Mischa … remember when you had a promising career full of hope and wonder? Now, all you’ve got is a nose full of boogies and a dirty finger. Bless your heart. It looks like she was reading a script in between digging sessions so mebbe she’s got a new job on the horizon? Let’s hope she gets the part, not being able to afford tissue to blow one’s nose is pretty sad :(

With “Maleficent,” the postmodern take on “Sleeping Beauty,” gaining momentum at Disney, there’s also a star who could be surging with it: Angelina Jolie. Earlier this week, the news broke that Disney had hired its longtime collaborator Linda Woolverton (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King”) to work on the screenplay for the live-action take on the 50-year-old hit. (Maleficent is the evil fairy godmother in the Disney film; this story would be told, “Wicked”-like, from her perspective.) Both Tim Burton and Angelina Jolie had last spring been rumored to join the project, which Disney has been kicking around for a while as a way to mine its library, among other things. Burton’s involvement remains unclear as he contemplates several projects. But sources say that, as of the last few weeks, Jolie is keen on the film and would like to sign on to play the titular villain. There’s no deal (or, for that matter, script) yet. And it’s unclear if Jolie’s involvement would be conditional on Burton moving forward with it too. But it’s nonetheless notable that Jolie — who has no new movie after shooting the international thriller “The Tourist” — is actively engaging with the material and could, according to sources, very well star in the film when all is said and done. A Disney spokesman this week said the company would not comment on anything “Maleficent”-related. Jolie manager Geyer Kosinski could not be reached for comment Thursday. A quick primer on Maleficent: The wicked fairy godmother is the character who casts the original spell on Sleeping Beauty (a.k.a. Princess Aurora, quoth Wikipedia) that the young girl will prick herself on a splinter and die; Maleficent is an archrival of sorts to the good fairy godmother, who casts a counter-spell that says the girl will sleep for a century and then be awakened by the kiss of a prince. The original versions of the fairy tale don’t name Maleficent; the character was named and shaped by Disney for its 1959 film, and would of course be deepened and amplified for this one. What would Jolie’s involvement mean for the property and her career? Telling a classic story from another perspective would certainly fit with the trend of putting a new spin on the standby classics. And casting Jolie in it would certainly broaden the audience for a Disney fairy tale (read: bring men in to theaters). Of course the choice to make a villain the main character instead of a secondary one could impact Disney’s ability to bring in younger audiences. And the studio would need to contend with far less pre-awareness for a single, lesser-known character than it did for a timeless classic such as “Alice in Wonderland.” But there are also plenty of reasons that Disney, whose new production chief Sean Bailey is said to hold the project close to his heart, would push “Maleficent” forward. With “Alice in Wonderland” a monster hit, it’s hardly a secret that Disney is looking to reprise more classic material. That’s especially true for a movie that, like “Alice,” centers on the battle between two opposing sovereigns. As for Jolie, she’s not really done much kid-centric over the course of her career, “Beowulf” perhaps excepted — and that’s not exactly full-on kiddie material. The idea of taking on a role that’s both live-action and actor-friendly, but still whimsical and delicate, could mark a refreshing change of pace after her recent action-movie kick that has her in “Tourist” and Phillip Noyce’s international thriller, “Salt.” Sometimes the desire is there. It just needs to be … awakened.

Sign her! Sign her, now! Angelina Jolie is one of the few actresses who can really pull off this role … I mean, she has that misunderstood evil queen look about her, don’t you think? I really LOVE the practice of retelling classic tales from the perspective of the villain. Neil Gaiman, my fave contemporary author, penned a fantastic short story titled Snow, Glass, Apples (which you can read in full HERE) that re-tells the Snow White and the Seven Dwarves story from the “evil stepmother’s” point of view … it’s amazing! I am in love with this idea of a film called Maleficent. What bums me out about rumors that get started this early in a film’s existence is that they don’t always pan out … now that I’ve got Ange in my mind as Maleficent, she’s the only person I want in the role. If they sign Angelina, Disney will be well on it’s way to having another hit on its hands. I LOVE this … do you?

Here are a couple of photos of our dear Britney Spears out and about this week lookin’ all cute in her fake glasses along with a couple photos of Brit tryin’ to sneak into a hotel with her agent/beau Jason Trawick:

Firstly, I love the glasses on Britney. She looks really good in them, yes? It really is true, glasses do make people look smarter ;) I also love that she and Jason are still doin’ their thing … apparently, in hotels. Love these two!!

After I went and got my hair did yesterday afternoon at The Parlour on 3rd (by my good friend Josh) the pair of went out for dinner before we made our way to the Hollywood Palladium to see Metric live in concert:

It was the first time I was able to see Metric live and they were fantastic! Emily sounded great and that girl can work a damn tambourine! Josh and I had a fantastic time:

The Palladium is becoming my fave mid-size venue here in LA. I always have a great time there. Shows there are fun.

Tonight I had planned on seeing Ted Leo & the Pharmacists at Troubador in West Hollywood, CA but I think I might end up going to see the LA Kings game instead. I got an invite I do NOT want to pass up so … alas, I miss another Ted Leo show — AGAIN! This is like the third chance to see Ted Leo that didn’t work out … ah well.

I had to take a break from work today to take David to the airport. He is jetting off to NYC for the week and then I meet him in Connecticut next weekend for Passover/Easter with his family. I’ll have a week to myself … I barely know what to do with myself :) I’m sure I’ll think of something!! Wee!!

OH and BY THE WAY: Don’t forget to turn off all of your electronic appliances tonight for Earth Hour at 8:30 PM YOUR LOCAL TIME. Let’s make a bit of a difference, shall we?

Fergie Ferg of Black Eyed Peas is 35, Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost, V) is 40, Mariah Carey is 40, Pauley Perrette (NCIS) is 41 and Quentin Tarantino is 47 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Here is this week’s batch of photos sent in by Pink is the new Blog readers — Kaitlin sends in a pic with Twilight star Peter Facinelli at the midnight release party of The Twilight Saga: New Moon on DVD in NYC last weekend — Samantha sends in a photo of her friend at the protest last weekend in Washington DC with Kathy Griffin — Danielle sends in a belated photo of her friends Yvonne and Sherri enjoying their Oscar party last month — Melissa sends in a pic of Vancouver ASWSUV Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates Mason O’Lennick and Tiffany Moore, from Washington State University, proudly wearing PINK as their campaign color! Check out their campaign site at votepink2010.org — Jen sends in a cute pic of her pug Doug — rescued two years ago from New Mexico Pug Rescue — the Drag Queen Pug!

Thank you all SOOOO much for your fun photos!! This is a great batch … please keep sending in your pics!! This section is always superfun because of YOUR photos!! Send in your pics, please!! xoxo

Well … OK … so mebbe it’s more likely that VB will oversee the many handlers that have, undoubtedly, been employed to care for Becks as he recuperates from his Achilles tendon surgery … cuz we know that VB ain’t gonna be offering any kind of help to Becks, unless he asks for a sponge bath or something like that. Sigh … and you wonder why I like to give the woman grief! OY!! In any event, it’s nice that VB is back home with her family again … now mebbe Becks will actually get around to gettin’ better now that his family is complete again.

Dennis Hopper took what may be his final bow Friday as his star was dedicated on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. His lawyer and doctor told the judge overseeing his divorce this week that Hopper is dying of prostate cancer, but the 73-year-old actor was smiling broadly during the ceremony. “I just want to thank you,” Hopper told the crowd surrounding him. “That’s all I can do.” “Easy Rider” co-star Jack Nicholson stood behind Hopper as Hollywood star number 2,403 was revealed with Hopper’s name in front of the Egyptian Theater. Other stars on hand included director David Lynch and singers Johnny Mathis and Dwight Yoakam. With his 6-year-old daughter, Galen, by his side, Hopper waved and bowed to hundreds of fans lining a barricade along Hollywood Boulevard. Hopper’s doctor called him “extremely weak” and said he weighs barely 100 pounds in a court document filed this week, but he walked on his own during the 45 minutes he was at the ceremony. His forehead and right hand were bandaged, but not because of his illness. Hopper said he “took a terrible fall” and “got pretty screwed up” as photographers followed him outside his Venice, California, home Thursday. “I want to thank the paparazzi,” he said. “I know you’ve got a tough job, but sometimes you ought to be a little more sensitive.” Hopper, who is undergoing radical chemotherapy for advanced, metastasized prostate cancer, is also divorcing his wife of 14 years, Victoria Hopper. He is too weak and ill to be questioned by lawyers in the divorce, but attending Friday’s ceremony “is a positive experience in every way,” his doctor’s sworn statement said. The couple separated in January when he filed for divorce, claiming the stress of their relationship was threatening his life as he battled cancer … Hopper said the Starz cable network paid for his Hollywood star ceremony, which cost $25,000. His last acting job was on “Crash,” the TV series based on the Oscar-winning movie of the same name. Hopper’s acting career has spanned almost six decades. In the ’50s he had roles in several TV shows and films, including “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955) and “Giant” (1956). He became a Hollywood sensation for “Easy Rider,” the 1969 film he directed and co-wrote in which he played a dissolute, countercultural biker.

Dennis Hopper may be losing his battle with cancer but he ain’t dead yet. I am so pleased that he was well enough to attend this ceremony in his honor. Hopper is a Hollywood legend and it is very fitting that he be honored in this way … that he was able to participate in this tribute to his work is just wonderful. Congratulations Dennis … and KEEP fighting! We are all rootin’ for you!!

Imogen Heap, who is still touring the world on her recent album Ellipse, played a show in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday night where she — for the first time ever, I believe — performed a cover of a Tori Amos song:

Immi auctioned off a VIP Experience Meet Imogen Heap + A Song Just For You concert package for charity and the person who won asked Imogen to perform Cornflake Girl by Tori Amos. I understand the winning bid for the auction sold for $4000 with all the money going to charity. It should go without saying that Imogen‘s cover of Tori‘s song was just … divine. After the jump, watch video of Imogen Heap performing Tori Amos‘s Cornflake Girl live in concert at Billboard the Venue in Melbourne this past Thursday night … More »

Christian Bale took some time this week to made a trip down to Anaheim, CA to spend the day at Disneyland with his wife Sandra Sibi Blazic and their daughter Emmeline. As you can see from the following photo, Bale and fam enjoyed a spin on Space Mountain (tho, by the look on little Emmeline‘s face, not everyone was having the best time ever):

The British actor, his wife, Sandra Blazic, and daughter, Emmeline, had fun at Space Mountain in Disneyland, California. The artist wanted to save the moment and did not hesitate to take his video camera. After two years, the protagonist of The Dark Knight is still not speaking to his mother and sister, who did not know the reason for his anger. At least in this picture we observe that the temperamental leading man is having a fun time and we expected him to soon make peace with his family.

Aww … poor Emme … she looks a bit terrified … but at least Christian looks like he’s having fun! I totally love the Disneyland escort sitting next to Bale in this photo, he knew he was posing for posterity :) I’m a huge fan of Disneyland and I’m glad to see the Bale family are fans, too. Mebbe next time I make my way to the Happiest Place on Earth, I’ll run into the Bales on their next visit!

Earlier this month we learned the bittersweet news that the Fox network was seriously considering ending the long running hit TV drama 24 (which, in all honesty, revolutionized the hour-long action drama on television) but at that time, no decision about ending the show was made. Since then, we heard a rumor that NBC was interested in picking up the show if Fox decided to end it but no other concrete information about that report has come to light (and, in fact, you’ll read that Kiefer Sutherland admits the NBC plan was never really a viable option). But, just as expected, Fox announced concretely late yesterday that the current season of 24 will be the show’s last. The show is officially dunzo. Here is some press release information issued by Fox late yesterday:

In a joint decision made by 24’s star and executive producer Kiefer Sutherland, executive producer and showrunner Howard Gordon, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Imagine Entertainment and Fox Broadcasting Company, it was determined that the acclaimed series will end its remarkable eight-season run. Jack Bauer’s last day on FOX will conclude when the final two hours of “Day Eight” air Monday, May 24 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). As the countdown to the series’ climactic conclusion races on, the final 11 hours will air uninterrupted Mondays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Multiple award-winning series star Kiefer Sutherland reflected on the show’s run: “This has been the role of a lifetime, and I will never be able to fully express my appreciation to everyone who made it possible. While the end of the series is bittersweet, we always wanted 24 to finish on a high note, so the decision to make the eighth season our last was one we all agreed upon. This feels like the culmination of all our efforts from the writers to the actors to our fantastic crew and everyone at Fox. Looking ahead to the future, Howard Gordon and I are excited about the opportunity to create the feature film version of 24. But when all is said and done, it is the loyal worldwide fan base that made it possible for me to have the experience of playing the role of Jack Bauer, and for that I am eternally grateful.” Executive producer and showrunner Howard Gordon said, “Kiefer and I have loved every minute of making 24, but we all believe that now is the right time to call it a day. I echo his sentiments of gratitude toward the show’s amazing creative team, as well as the studio and network who have always believed in us and shown us unbelievable support.” “24 is so much more than just a TV show – it has redefined the drama genre and created one of the most admired action icons in television history,” said Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Networks Group. Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company added, “We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series and will be forever thankful to Kiefer, the producers, the cast and crew for everything they’ve put into 24 over the years. It’s truly been an amazing and unforgettable eight days.” “We are so grateful to Kiefer and Howard who have really poured their hearts and souls into making this show over the past eight seasons,” commented Gary Newman and Dana Walden, Chairmen, Twentieth Century Fox Television. “To everyone who contributed to this iconic series over its amazing run, we want to extend our heartfelt appreciation for your incredible work.” Added Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, “I’m so proud to have been a part of 24, which has become such a cultural phenomenon. And to Kiefer and Howard and everyone who has worked on the show, many thanks.” Now in its eighth season with Kiefer Sutherland starring as the heroic Jack Bauer, the inventive and suspenseful 24 has been nominated for a total of 68 Emmy Awards, winning for Outstanding Drama Series in 2006. Over the course of seven seasons, Sutherland garnered seven Emmy nominations and one win for Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series. While the series gained global recognition, Sutherland’s portrayal of the legendary character penetrated the American psyche like no other dramatic television character to become part of the English lexicon. Premiering November 6, 2001, 24 employed a pioneering split-screen, fast-paced format with complex interweaving storylines as viewers followed anti-terrorism agent Jack Bauer through 24 pulse-pounding episodes, each covering one hour and presented in real time. Subsequent seasons combined the show’s unique and trend-setting format while delivering compelling new elements and attracting talented actors and guest stars, including the Emmy Award-winning Cherry Jones (President Allison Taylor). The series also currently stars Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O’Brian), Anil Kapoor (Omar Hassan), Annie Wersching (Renee Walker), Katee Sackhoff (Dana Walsh), Mykelti Williamson (Brian Hastings), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Cole Ortiz), Chris Diamantopoulos (Rob Weiss) and John Boyd (Arlo Glass). The first six seasons were set in Los Angeles, and following the strike-induced delay of Season Seven, “24: Redemption,” a two-hour film bridging Seasons Six and Seven, was set in Africa. Washington, D.C. was the setting for Season Seven, and the final season of 24 finds Jack Bauer thwarting a terrorist attack in New York. At the conclusion of Season Eight, 24 will have a produced a total of 194 episodes (including “24: Redemption”), making it one of the longest-running action television shows in history.

As I mentioned before … the time for the show to end has come. The last couple of seasons have not been great and I would much rather see a show I love end gracefully rather than in a long, drawn-out way that might completely ruin all the great memories of a great show. Even as we mourn the death of a show like 24, we can take comfort in the fact that plans are deffo in the works to move the franchise to the big screen. This may be the end of 24 on the small screen but there is great hope for a string of big-budget films in the near future. After the jump, read a short interview that 24 star Kiefer Sutherland gave to TV Guide regarding the end of the show … More »

Universal Orlando Resort announced that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will have its grand opening on June 18. It also announced the details of its immersive marquee attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, in the verbose language we’ve come to expect: “Guests will feel things no one has ever felt inside a theme park attraction, move in ways no one has ever moved, experience film like no one else ever has, explore vast sets punctuated by amazing special effects — and have an adventure only possible in Harry Potter’s world.” Here’s what you need to know — The overview: “As you venture through Hogwarts castle, you meet Harry, Ron, and Hermione who convince you to skip a planned lecture and follow them. Upon taking their advice, you travel by Floo powder, and begin the adventure as you soar over Hogwarts, narrowly escape a dragon attack, have a close encounter with the Whomping Willow, get pulled into a Quidditch match [pictured], and more.” According to the press release, this is the first-ever combination of advanced robotic ride system technology with immersive filmmaking. ”The attraction’s newly created ride system envelops guests in filmed action scenes and moves those scenes with them as they travel through the ride, allowing more time in the center of the adventure and with their favorite characters.”

The deets continue behind the cut. Wait ’til you hear how Universal decided to handle the nasty problem of long wait times in line … it’s pretty ingenious. Also, check out a promo video that gives a sneak peek of what’s in store for this amazing Harry Potter theme park attraction, after the jump … More »

All of our fave TV shows are winding down and are filming their last eps of the season … including my FAVE NEW comedy of the year, Cougar Town. Here are a few photos of Courteney Cox-Arquette, Christa Miller and co. filming what looks to be a beach party here in SoCal:

At least … I think that’s what’s going on here. Either Courteney is filming for her show or she’s just enjoying a little beach fête with some friends for the heck of it. I’m hoping this little party will show up on the show …. I would love to hear Jules play guitar. Any any party that features the older set and a beer keg can only mean comedy GOLD! Whether or not this is a real party or a pretend party, the weather was perfect for either. Bring on the Summer!!

We know that Reese has been creepin’ around with her new beau Jim Toth these days but, apparently, the time isn’t right for her to go out in public with her new boyfriend and her children. Who knows, mebbe she hasn’t even introduced her kids to her new man yet at all? Considering how close Reese‘s last boyfriend, Jake Gyllenhaal, got to her kids it makes sense that she would want to move forward cautiously this time around. Whatever is going on in her personal life, it’s nice to see Reese enjoy a simple night out with her kids. Pinkberry is a great way to end a day!!

Ya know … Jude is such a shameless and unapologetic cad that you’d think it would be easy to dislike him. On the contrary, I can’t help but like him DESPITE some of his, well, cad-iness. I think I like him best when he’s hard at work … which, really, is the way it should be. It occurs to me as I write this post that we’ve not seen Jude out and about with his most recent ladylove Sienna Miller. Could there be trubs in paradise? Could the their rekindled flame have already extinguished? Yes, yes … I digress. In any event, Jude has been working on his Dior campaign for a few days now … with Ritchie behind the camera, it’s sure to be a big deal. I can’t wait to see what these two come up with.

Ugh … poor Becks. I think it’s going to take some time for me to get used to seeing the poor guy on crutches again. I imagine that he’s not really feeling so great these days … which would explain why he seems to have lost the will to groom himself. The hat is a giveaway but the ratty beard? OY! He just looks so defeated :( Here’s hoping that the warm California sun will infuse him with new vim and vigor. He’s gonna be hobbling around town for many weeks yet … it’s far too soon for him to just give up on being pretty ;)

Yesterday was a pretty fun day … tho it didn’t turn out quite as relaxing as I had hoped. David and I spent the afternoon at the Bliss Spa at the W Hotel in Hollywood, CA yesterday for a day of relaxation … unfortch, due to the massive knots I had in my neck, back, arms, shoulders and legs I ended up getting tortured for 105 minutes:

Usually, when I get a massage I do my best to try and keep from falling asleep so I don’t miss out on the fun … yesterday, I was praying for sweet unconsciousness to spare me some of the misery of having my knots worked out. Honestly, I enjoyed my massage … I really needed the work cuz sitting at a desk almost all day, every single day takes its toll on the body … but OY was it painful. Sweet pain … blah.

After our massages, we were pretty wiped out … so David and I hung out at the W for a while to recuperate:

It really was a great day :)

Tonight, Josh and I are going to the Hollywood Palladium to see Metric live in concert! I’ve never seen them perform live before so I’m very excited. Let the weekend commence!

Keira Knightley is 25, Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) is 50, Leeza Gibbons is 53, Martin Short is 60, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is 62, Diana Ross is 66 and Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek) is 79 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Now, I swear I’m not trying to make the predictable Britney Spears comparison but … this song kinda sounds like a Britney Spears song. Upon first listen, Not Myself Tonight sounded to me like an outtake from Britney‘s most recent releases (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, IMHO). I mean, it’s deffo Xtina‘s vocals but the song sounds like something Britney could’ve released on her last album. After the jump, listen to the preview and judge for yourselves … More »

Last week we got to see a couple of THE CUTEST PICS EVER of Harlow Winter Kate, first born child of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, enjoying a playdate with a cute blonde BFF and today we get to see MORE PICS of the adorable twosome hittin’ the town again this week. First, here are a couple pics of Harlow sippin’ on her very own beverage lookin’ as cute as ever:

The next pics, tho, are to die for! Apparently, Harlow and her little friend went to DANCE CLASS this week … tu tus and all!! See how cute Harlow and her friend look in their little dance outfits, after the jump … More »

Well, well now … just friends? It would seem that “just friends” Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift are back to their creepin’ ways these days. Despite the fact that Taylor2 reportedly broke up in late December, it would appear that the couple have remained really good friends … friends who like to lunch together … behold:

There have been some talk that lady Taylor has been creepin’ around with Glee‘s Corey Monteith but because she hooked up with manly Taylor for lunch at The Farm in Beverly Hills, CA this week I tend to think lady Taylor actually playin’ the field. Get it, girl!! There are a lot of hot mens for you to play with … why saddle yourself with one beefcake when you can enjoy a few? I suppose it’s possible that these Taylors are merely friends … but I don’t really buy it. Do you?

I sit in the driver’s seat of my grandfather’s old DeVille. It is night out and cool. Me and Joe, we just sit.

We’re out in front of the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course pro shop. It’s a tan building with white trim. It’s where Joe and I work during the day.

We sit here because it’s dark here, and there are no lights outside this building. We’re stopped for no reason except that the night is still going and we’re drunk, and who wants to go home, ever, and this spot is as good as any to just sit in the shadows and let life slow.

My window is cracked, just a bit, and the air plays on my forehead like a cold whisper.

I often think about driving off the side of freeway overpasses, just plunge Grandpa’s old blue boat through the cement guardrail: The sculpted barrier crumbling about me and Grandpa’s blue machine; a great moment of metallic explosion and heavy ripping and jerking and then release; a soft, slow dive of arcing color through the windshield, into a hard second of impact, just before the black. What an adventure lies behind one quick turn of the steering wheel. A great screaming, and then, slip away.

Joe and I sit and stare at the wall of the building. The building is beige, but the shadows make it shadow-color.

Joe smokes. His window is all the way down, and he breathes his smoke out the black gaping gap.

There is not much to talk about with Joe because he’s such a moron. I don’t know what he thinks he is, or why he thinks he exists. I guess in some lives lived, no one tells you what to be, and so you be nothing. In the olden days you were born into it, all decisions made, and you farmed until you died, or cleaned the royal toilets.

I guess they didn’t have toilets. Just stuck their asses out and shat in the moat. But someone had to wash out the hole.

“If you lived in the olden times, what would you do?” I ask Joe.

Joe has to think about it. He is large, and his weight spreads from his belly across the seat, like it was a plastic sack full of liquid, rolling in layers upon itself.

“Which olden times?” he asks, and it’s like a boar’s grunt, a deep thing, from the thick part of his throat.

“Like, King Arthur, with knights and horses.”

Fatass thinks. I can hear it, rust-worn gears flaking and groaning slowly into motion, even smell it, yellow smoke emanating from his skull.

“I’d be the king,” he says.

“You can’t be the king,” I say. “No one is king. That’s like winning the lottery.”

“If I went back, I’d be king. And I’d fuck every virgin in the kingdom.”

“You can’t be king, asshole. You can’t even be duke. The fact that you even said that shows you’re not royalty. You’re a peasant.”

“Whenever people time-travel, they go back and they are friends with the king, or they are the king.”

“Because those are stories. When people tell stories, they’re always about the king, it’s Aristotle crap. But it’s not real.”

“Neither is time travel.”

The story continues HERE at Esquire‘s site where you can read the entire tale in full. It turns out that Franco is planning the release of his first collection of short stories this October. The collection will be titled Palo Alto and will be published by Scribner (you can preorder the book HERE). It would seem that James Franco has many talents … but do you think writing is one of them? Read the story (or just this excerpt) and let me know what you think. Does Franco have a future in publishing?

Awww … he is so cute. These photos are adorable! I’m so glad that Ange and babydaddy Brad Pitt have finally decided to bring their baby twins out of hiding so that the rest of us can share in their cuteness. This move to Venice has given us unprecedented access to Knox and his twin sister Vivienne Marcheline. I had a feeling we’d be seeing more of the twins during their stay in Venice … hopefully these daily morning appearances on the palazzo balcony will continue. We have a lot of catching up to do with the Brangelina twins.

Wonder if he’s filling his car up with regular redheaded — we mean, regular unleaded… Former Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien wore a big grin on his ginger-bearded face while pumping gas in L.A. on Wednesday. He’s got every reason to be happy, as he recently announced he’ll be hitting the road with his very own comedy tour — that doesn’t involve even a minute of TV on-air time! Although his parting deal with NBC won’t let him show that flame-haired mug on TV any time soon, Coco found a way around that with his series of live performances throughout the U.S., starting in Eugene, Ore. on April 12.

He’s in a real world of hurt — and could possibly be in a real world of legal trouble — but Puck from “The Real World” is still tryin’ to smile … despite the fact that he’s hooked up to a bunch of hospital tubes. Puck is still expected to spend another couple of days at a San Diego hospital following Friday’s horrifying car crash in which he broke several bones … and his 8-year-old son injured multiple internal organs. As soon as he’s healthy enough to leave his bed, Puck will be booked by the CHP for DUI, driving without a license and child endangerment.

I suspect Puck was happy to sell these photos to TMZ in order to raise funds for his upcoming trial. If convicted of driving drunk WITH his 8 year old child in the car with him, I sincerely hope that Puck not only loses the right to endanger his child any further but also that he gets a little jail time to sober him up. It’s extremely hard to feel sorry for someone who gets injured in a car accident due to their own disregard for the law … especially when they endanger the lives of other drivers by driving drunk. BUT, to endanger the life of a child by knowingly driving under the influence while the child is in the car with them? It’s outrageously irresponsible. Anyone who even remotely remembers Puck from his days of reality TV fame knows that he really doesn’t care for authority figures or restrictions … but endangering the life of his child is another thing altogether. I understand Puck‘s son, tho injured, is not in as bad shape as his father … thankfully.

A ROBERT Pattinson waxwork has been unveiled. The Remember Me actor has become the latest star to be immortalized with a lookalike at London’s Madame Tussauds, and some of his fans were invited to a VIP unveiling to meet the imitation Thursday morning. “The figure looks really great!” said one R-Patz fan. “Just like him — his hair is spot on. It’s amazing, almost like meeting the real thing! I’m sure people are going to love it; he is just gorgeous.” The waxwork has the trademark messy hair and narrow-eyed expression of the real Robert, and museum organizers are in no doubts that he will quickly become one of their hottest attractions. “Pattinson is one of the hottest celebs on the planet,” said Madame Tussauds spokesperson Liz Edwards. “We are delighted to be able to give them the chance to cosy up with their idol here at Madame Tussauds and judging by the reactions of the first to meet him here this morning he is set to top our “most kissed list of celebrities very quickly!” Robert’s waxwork took four months to make and cost $300,000.

BUT … there’s more!! Another Robert Pattinson waxwork was unveiled today as well, this time at the Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museuem in NYC, NY. And, in all honesty, I think the NYC statue looks much better than the London statue does. Check it out, after the jump … More »

Who’s ready for the return of Glee? I know … pretty much everyone … but we’ve still got a few weeks yet to wait … so in the meantime, let’s check out 2 fun new promo videos that have just been released by FOX to get you excited for the return of Glee:

OMG … cute, right? Well … you ain’t seen nothing yet!! After the jump, check out another promo video that features the Glee version of Madonna song Like A Prayer … More »

Courtney Love has gone on Facebook to apologise to Billy Corgan, after he attacked Hole’s founder in a Rolling Stone interview. The Smashing Pumpkins frontman disowned new Hole material he had worked on for Love’s forthcoming album ‘Nobody’s Daughter.’ Corgan had co-written several tracks, but then hoped they would not be used. “It would be a real big problem, because I haven’t given my permission,” he said. “I have no interest in supporting her in any way, shape or form. You can’t throw enough things down the abyss with a person like that.” On Tuesday (March 16), Love posted a message for Corgan on Facebook, apologising for “all the thousand ways I sometimes offend you.” She also praised their songwriting endeavours. “We have again created beauty from the agony between us,” she wrote.

The songs Samantha and How Dirty Girls Get Clean are the songs Corgan claims are his and, wouldn’t you know it, they are listed on the album tracklist. Apology or no, C. Love‘s new Hole album may be in danger. After the jump, check out the artwork of the back of the album which features the disc’s full tracklist … More »

I’m not sure what he was reading but he looked really into it. It’s a shame Kellan‘s Kindle isn’t wrapped in as beautiful a cover as MY Kindle is but I can’t really fault his e-book cover choices … this cover is the one I used before my new one arrived ;) I’m not sure about you but I think guys who like to read are really sexy … Kellan‘s stock keeps going up in my e-book ;)

Millions of reptiles are slaughtered each year and turned into shoes, handbags, belts, and other accessories. These helpless animals are viewed as a commodity by those who poach and hunt them, and these creatures suffer as their skin is pulled off their bodies while they are still alive. Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe- and Grammy-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix refuses to support an industry based on such cruelty and takes a behind-the-scenes look at the exotic-skins trade in his exclusive video for PETA. Compassionate companies, such as Nike, H&M, and Overstock.com, have agreed not to sell exotic-skins. With tons of fashionable and cruelty-free alternatives there is no reason for animals to suffer for a wardrobe. Help Joaquin and PETA send a powerful message not only to the cruel exotic-skins industry but also to designers, retailers, and others who directly profit from the suffering caused by this barbaric business. Take the pledge now to shed exotic-skins from your wardrobe!

Thank the GODS Joaquin decided to stop wasting his life with his so-called “rap career” and is back to being relatively normal … well, at least, I hope he’s normal. Considering how much credibility he lost last year, I’m not sure he’s the best person to speak out on behalf of exotic animals but … I guess he’s better than nothing. After the jump, check out video (that may be upsetting for some viewers) of Joaquin Phoenix talking about the horrors of using exotic animal skins to make clothing and accessories … More »

Yesterday was spent running around taking care of errands but since the weather was so nice, it was not a chore at all. Sun roof open, windows down … I had a grand time driving around LA. When I returned home, I discovered that a recent order of mine had arrived … which cheered me up immensely! I ordered a new book cover for my Kindle which was created by Oberon Design:

I’m not sure if any of y’all are journalers but if so, you may be well acquainted with Oberon Designs. They make the coolest leather-covered journals … which I’ve been collecting and using for almost 20 years. In the days before blogs, I used to journal extensively in my Oberon journals … I still do. I was very happy to learn that they now offer Kindle e-book covers (as well as Sony and Nook e-book covers), which I promptly ordered (I was surprised to find a small matching pewter charm was included for free in my order, ’twas a nice little bonus). I have an upcoming trip back east for Passover/Easter with David’s family so now my Kindle will be wrapped in this awesome cover. Wee!!

Today, oh man, is gonna be a great day. David booked us spa appointments for massages and I am SO excited!! It’s been a long time since we went out for massages so … I’m really looking forward to it. I hope your day is a great one!!

Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) is 31, Sarah Jessica Parker is 45, Marcia Cross is 48, Elton John is 63 and Aretha Franklin is 68 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Look closely. That’s not coffee in the pot. HBO is trying to stoke fan interest in its newest hit, True Blood, with a 12-week viral campaign that leads up to the show’s third-season premiere on June 13, reports USA TODAY’s Gary Levin. And here’s a first look a series of images that will be released, one each week.

You may recall that on Monday we got a tiny sneak peek at some behind the scenes video from the set of True Blood … so the fun promo stuff is only just beginning. I can’t wait to see what other goodies are on the way … as you may know from last season, HBO does a really great job of promoting their shows. I wonder if we’ll be able to get “blood”-infused java drinks at places like Starbucks in the very near future. HMMMM.

Now, it’s entirely possible and wholly plausible that Cher was just too embarrassed to show off a nasty blemish or mebbe she was just feeling very unphotogenic. BUT, I feel I should reveal that the medical center that Cher was leaving was the very same medical center that Michael Jackson used to frequent on an almost daily basis in the years, months and weeks before his death. I understand that this particular medical center in Beverly Hills is frequented by many celebs (including Betty White and Whitney Houston) and offers a vast array of treatments so it’s unclear what exactly Cher was there for. Mebbe she had a bit of an upset stomach or mebbe she underwent a treatment to ensure that she remains ageless … whatever the case may be, she was deffo NOT interested in showing her face as she made her way out of the building. Any guesses what YOU think she was doing there?

Yesterday mommy Alyson Hannigan celebrated her 36th birthday and daughter Satyana celebrated her 1st birthday as the beautiful ladies stepped out for a bday lunch with hubby/daddy Alexis Denisof. Here are a couple photos of the happy family lookin’ all kinds of faboo in Santa Monica, CA yesterday:

I can’t even believe how much cuter little Sati gets every single day. That precious little girl rockin’ her adorable headband is just too much … she is THE cutest!! Aly is lookin’ damn good in this photo, don’t you think? Alexis is a very lucky man to have these beautiful ladies in his life. I sincerely hope that Aly and Sati had themselves a fabulous birthday … here’s to many, many more happy birthdays to come!!

With 30 million albums sold worldwide and the prestigious honor of being the only artist under the age of 30 included in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, 5 time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera has already achieved an unprecedented level of success. Aguilera’s been hard at work in the studio for the past year and is pleased to announce the release of her highly anticipated 4th studio album Bionic (RCA Records) this summer. The first single from Bionic is the fiercely energetic anthem “Not Myself Tonight”, produced by Polow Da Don. The song will premiere on ChristinaAguilera.com at 6pm EDT on 3/30, impacts radio on 4/5 and will be available on iTunes on 4/13. Bionic features songs co-written by Aguilera along with her much buzzed about collaborations including Sia, Tricky Stewart, Polow Da Don, Le Tigre, Hill & Switch, and Ladytron among others. Aguilera notes, “Working on this album with so many talented artists and producers that I admire was really an amazing experience. The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to Bionic. My intention was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic.” The album also features a ballad produced and written by Linda Perry titled “Lift Me Up”. The title Bionic reflects Aguilera’s ability to take her range to new levels and use her voice in various ways never heard before. Aguilera describes the album as a unique mix of many genres and styles of music, “I was able to explore and create a fresh, sexy feel using both electronic and organic elements with subject matter ranging from playful to introspective. I am so excited for my fans to hear the new sound. It is something I don’t think anyone will expect.” In addition to completing the album which was all recorded from her home studio after the birth of her first son, Christina also completed production on her first film, “Burlesque.” The film, which co-stars Cher, Stanley Tucci, and Kristen Bell will be released by ScreenGems this fall.

Okay … at this point, I’m dying the hear the song!! I am really looking forward to 3/30 now. I’m also terribly curious to hear this new album, Bionic, in full. I actually find the album artwork very interesting. Xtina looks like a robot version of Eva Perón. I kinda like the mixture of Fembot meets Evita. While we await the premiere of Not Myself Tonight, let’s discuss the album art for Bionic … what do y’all think? Is it hot or not?

Very sad news to pass along today … actor Robert Culp, known for his roles in the 60′s series I Spy and the 80′s series The Greatest American Hero, passed away yesterday after suffering a fall during his morning walk here in SoCal. It’s unknown at this time what the cause of death was but I suspect it wasn’t the fall that killed Culp … my guess is that he may have suffered a heart attack which resulted in his his death. Culp was 79 years old:

Robert Culp, the actor who rose to fame as secret agent Kelly Robinson on the groundbreaking 1960s TV series “I Spy” and later played Ray Romano’s father-in-law on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” has died. He was 79. Culp died after falling on a sidewalk near a Los Angeles park, said his publicist, Dick Delson. Delson had no further details. The versatile Culp not only acted in “I Spy,” which aired on NBC from 1965 to 1968, he also wrote several episodes. The series, which also starred Bill Cosby as Robinson’s partner (and, as their covers, trainer to Culp’s globe-trotting tennis player), was the first to feature an African-American in a lead role; Cosby won three Emmys for his work. “I never had so much fun in my life, never, before or since,” he said of “I Spy” in a 2007 interview with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Archive of American Television. Culp and Cosby remained good friends after the series left air … Culp collapsed near the lower entrance to Runyon Canyon Park, a popular hiking area in Hollywood, according to a Los Angeles Police official. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a half hour later, Officer Rosaria Herrera said. It was unclear if the fall caused his death, and the coroner has opened an investigation, she said … His notable credits include a co-starring role in the series “The Greatest American Hero” and appearances on “The Cosby Show,” “Columbo,” “Wings,” “Chicago Hope” and “Raymond.” Culp is survived by his fifth wife, Candace Faulkner. His five marriages produced five children and five grandchildren, according to his Web site.

While I am not at all familiar with I Spy, I absolutely have very fond memories of watching Robert Culp star alongside William Katt in The Greatest American Hero (which was an amazing TV series about a hapless guy named Ralph Hinkley who was given a suit that bestowed upon him super powers but came with no instruction manual, so he had to figure out how the suit worked for the duration of the series):

I loved that show so much … Robert Culp always seemed like a really cool uncle to me (yes, I identified with TV characters at a very young age). I always loved it when he would show up in guest appearances on other shows over the years and news of his death is extremely sad to me. My deepest and heartfelt condolences go out to his family. May Robert Culp rest in eternal peace.

11 days after blowing out his Achilles’ tendon, David Beckham returned to the soccer field Wednesday to get a little workout with his Major League Soccer team — there was just one minor problem … he still can’t walk. With crutches on both arms, Beckham limped around to observe the L.A. Galaxy run through drills in Carson, California. Beckham underwent surgery to repair the tendon the day after he tore it — but he’ll still miss his chance to play in the upcoming World Cup tournament.

I have to give it up to Becks for getting back in action (as it were) so soon after undergoing surgery, especially since the poor guy can’t even walk on his own two feet. Some may dismiss this as publicity but I honestly believe that Becks wants to live as much of his life on the soccer field and he won’t let a thing like a reliance on crutches keep him off the field. I doubt any training that he gets done while hobbling around on crutches will be very fruitful … but I do believe that the practice will help him psychologically. Becks has a long recovery period ahead of him … if he keeps his head “in the game” during his rehabilitation period, it’ll make his eventual return to the game as seamless as possible — at least, that’s the hope. Stay strong, Becks! Do your thang!

MTV has issued a press release announcement that Season 7 of The Hills, which will begin airing on April 27, will be the LAST season of the series. After 4 years of mostly successful and marginally entertaining drama, MTV has decided to put an end to the pop culture phenomenon known as The Hills. At last, it’s dunzo, y’all!

Over the past 4 years “The Hills” revolutionized reality television and became a pop culture phenomenon. MTV will now redefine how the reality drama all ends in Season 6. The last 12 episodes EVER of “The Hills” will conclude like no other show before. How will it end? What will be revealed? Who will return? How will they say goodbye? The drama begins on Tuesday, April 27th as “The Hills: Final Season” premieres at 10pm ET/PT followed by “The City” at 10:30pm ET/PT on MTV. “We are lucky and honored to have worked with this cast and tell their stories for this long, and we are grateful to the many dedicated fans who have stuck with us over the years. We owe it to those fans, the cast and the show to go out on a high note. And this season will deliver on that goal in terms of drama, story, real emotion and an organic culmination of this saga,” said Tony DiSanto, President of Programming, MTV … Viewers wanting more can head over to http://TheHills.MTV.com to watch full episodes, browse through exclusive cast photo flipbooks and get the latest gossip on the Remote Control blog. Since its premiere in 2006, “The Hills” has been a phenomenal performer on MTV. The previous season ranked as the #3 original cable series of 4Q09 and was a top 10 original series for 2009 among F12-34. The Hills dominated its Tuesday time period, ranking #1 versus all television competition among both P12-34 and F12-34. The series is MTV’s most DVR’d series, averaging a 52% bump when Live+7 ratings are factored in. “The Hills” is created by Adam DiVello. Adam DiVello, Liz Gateley and Sara Mast serve as executive producers. Catherine K. Whyte is MTV’s executive-in-charge of production.

Once upon a time, The Hills was THE show that set the pop culture benchmark for water-cooler buzz but in recent years, it has delved into insipid, scripted and completely unbelievable nonsense that has all but ruined the fun the show used to offer. In all honestly, the show started getting really bad even when Lauren LC Conrad was the star protagonist … but once the focus shifted to other, less likable characters (and you know who I’m talking about) the fun spirit of the show was abandoned in lieu of nasty, really unsavory and totally fabricated drama. I was pretty much over the show by the time Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt got “married” for the third time on the show. The show has been over for a while now … at last, MTV has acknowledged that fact. Peace the Spork Out, Hills … when you were great, you were really fun … but the time has really come for you to be dead and gone.

Iron Man is the latest comic book hero to make the transition to the world of motion comics. Unlike the usual printed comic books we are used to, motion comics are electronic and feature dynamic motion that is not quite the same as animation. Entertainment Weekly gives us our first look at Iron Man‘s first foray into the world of motion comics … behold, Iron Man: Extremis:

The “motion comic” medium is still pretty new — not quite animation, it aims to bring to life the comic book page in a dynamic way. EW has an exclusive first look at Marvel’s latest foray into the budding format, Iron Man: Extremis, a brand new Iron Man story by comic book legend Warren Ellis (Planetary, The Authority) and artist Adi Granov. Unrelated to the Robert Downey Jr. movie series, this story follows Tony Stark’s battle against a terrorist whose body has been transformed by a new bio-engineered serum called, naturally, Extremis. You can download the first of the six-episode series from iTunes, Zune, and Xbox Live on April 16 for $1.99 — each additional episode will come online every two weeks. (You can watch Marvel’s earlier motion comics, Spider-Woman and Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men, for free on Hulu. Note: Like Iron Man: Extremis, they’re intended for mature audiences.)

Head over to EW‘s site HERE to see a trailer for this motion comic starring Iron Man. I can’t say that it doesn’t look pretty animated to me but what do I know? I still like to read printed comic books, myself (tho, I guess it would be cool to have comics on one’s iPhone). In any event, if this motion comics thing takes off we’ll prolly be seeing many of our fave heroes make the transition. Does this look cool to any of y’all? Is this something you might be into?

Get ready to walk like an Egyptian – King Tut is on his way back to the Big Apple. Tickets went on sale Tuesday for an exhibit of artifacts from the boy pharoah’s tomb, opening April 23 at the Discovery Times Square Exposition. To mark the occasion, former Mayor Ed Koch welcomed a 25-foot black-and-gold statue of the jackal-headed god Anubis, which floated on a barge past the Statue of Liberty to arrive at South Street Seaport. King Tut was a huge hit the last time he was here, bringing 1.8 million visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1979, when Koch was hizzoner. The new show, “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” has more than twice the number of artifacts. Fifty of Tut’s 3,000-year-old treasures – from his gold crown to cosmetic containers – will be on display. So will the discoveries scientists have made about the boy king using CT scan technology. The exhibit, which is now at San Francisco’s de Young museum, is making its final U.S. stop in New York and will run until next January.

I missed the Tut exhibit when it was in the States the last time around so I don’t want to miss this chance to see these ancient artifacts. I’m not sure when I’ll be in NYC next but I deffo plan to see this exhibit before it leaves for good. Egyptian myth is so fascinating, it would be a thrill to see these artifacts up close and personal. I wonder if I could talk David into letting me get a 25-foot statue of Anubis for our apartment … do you think they sell them in the King Tut gift shop?

She can’t tell the difference between London and Manchester and her cockney accent is straight out of the Dick Van Dyke school of English. But her love for our fine nation was all too plain to see as she dined out in Los Angeles last night. The singer proudly showed off a Union Jack belt on her low-slung jeans as she and boyfriend Jason Trawick arrived at an American cuisine restaurant in the city’s Brentwood district. She teamed the belt and her simple jeans and white t-shirt look with big and garish earrings and an animal print handbag and heels. And either Miss Spears has gained a few extra pounds recently or she bought the wrong sized t-shirt, as she seemed to be struggling to keep it over her stomach. The singer’s belt was possibly her declaration of her love of our country and her British heritage, after it was revealed in 2008 that her grandmother Lilian was from Tottenham, London and moved to the US after marrying US soldier Barnett O’Field Bridges. And in the last couple of years, Britney has taken it upon herself to adopt an English accent, albeit a bad one by all accounts. She first began adopting an English twang during her stay at Los Angeles’s Cedars-Sinai hospital in January 2008, where she was treated for a mental breakdown. And according to reports, Britney, who has a pet dog named London, continued speaking in what she thought was an English tongue after being released from hospital, often going on shopping trips pretending to be from the UK. Earlier this year she began speaking in a British accent again after becoming obsessed with US animated TV show Family Guy and the baby character Stewie, whose English accent is voiced by show creator Seth MacFarlane.

I guess I hadn’t realized that Britney was such an Anglophile … but, no matter how much she loves the UK, she can’t leave. Nope … sorry. You can have Lindsay Lohan and I’d be happy to throw in Paris Hilton for good measure but Britney Spears is staying right here in the US. She can wear all the British flags she likes, she can speak with whatever accent she chooses … she can even visit the UK for extended periods of time … as long as she comes home to roost here in SoCal, it’s all good. Sorry Brits, but this Brit is ours :)

Not Myself Tonight will be the lead single off Xtina‘s new album Bionic which is due out this year. The song was penned by hitmakers Polow Da Don & Ester Dean. After the jump, read the lyrics in full for a taste of what’s in store from Ms. Xtina Aguilera … More »

Q: Your book is coming out at the same time that the breakup of your year-long relationship with Kennedy is in the news. What’s that like?A: It’s not the ideal situation, but the thing I’m really happy about is that I never say in the book that I know how to find perfect love or how to be in the perfect relationship. I’m thrust back into the dating world as the book is coming out, so I feel more than ever that people will know I’m kind of with them in the trenches.

Q: Is it hard still having to work with him on the show? (Kennedy plays a professor who can hear but not see ghosts.)A: It’s fine. Everyone’s a grown-up. It just is what it is.

Q: How does it feel to be single again?A: It’s what life handed me, and I’m OK with it. I know wholeheartedly that I’m a really good partner. I think I’m a really good girlfriend, and I think that I could be a really good wife. I know that I love being able to give my love out to someone. I know there is somebody great out there for me.

The rest of the USA Today interview, which you can read HERE, goes on to discuss her book (which is wholly uninteresting to me but may be to some of you). I’m not sure I’m totally on board with J. Love‘s claim that she is “a really good partner” but, then again, what else is she gonna say? I just feel bad for Jamie … it must be really hard for him to deal with a break-up that comes attached to a promo tour for his ex-girlfriend’s book on relationships. J. Love was lookin’ all smiles and happy as can be at a book launch party at Avenue in NYC last night. After the jump, check out a couple photos from last night’s event … More »

Yesterday afternoon I got me a hankerin’ for some Chick-Fil-A so I hopped in my car and made my way down South to visit my closest location in Redondo Beach, CA but before I stopped for some grub, I made a pit stop in Manhattan Beach, CA to watch the sun set as the waves crashed in from the Pacific Ocean:

I am so happy that my friends Josh & Emma live within blocks of the Pacific Ocean because now I get to spend more time at the beach. It’s really something standing at the edge of the country, looking out into the expansive ocean. Its this sort of thing exactly why I’ve always wanted to live in Southern California. I’m gonna try and enjoy sights like this as much as I can to make up for all the years I was land-locked in the Midwest. I love my home back in Michigan but I don’t think I’d trade my new home here in SoCal for all the world.

Emma, Josh and I supped on Chick-Fil-A and then went out for dessert at Pinkberry. ‘Twas a very nice night, indeed.

I have a few things to take care of tonight … nothing major, just errands stuff. The temps. are a bit cooler today but we’re gettin’ back up into the 80′s by the weekend. I just love Spring in LA. These are the best days to be alive!!

Satyana Hannigan-Densiof is 1, Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is 36, Lara Flynn Boyle is 40, Star Jones is 48, Kelly LeBrock is 50 and Robert Carradine is 56 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Jude Law, current celebrity spokesperson for Christian Dior parfum, teamed up with his Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie to film a new commercial for a Dior fragrance in Paris, France this week … here are a few photos:

I’m certain that a commercial being helmed by Ritchie is sure to be a smashing success. I dunno why it requires such a production to inspire folks to wanna smell like Jude Law but, hey, I guess it works. It’s nice to see that these BFFs have remained close since they worked so closely together on Holmes. I can’t wait to see what the final product will look like.

Ryan Phillippe attended a promo event at The Roosevelt Hotel here in Hollywood, CA Monday night which was hosted by adidas and Snoop Dogg to celebrate the release of Snoop‘s album More Malice and he was spotted with a couple of friends from the Empire who came in from Long Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away:

Ryan fits in perfectly, don’t you think? I can’t think of anything cooler than an adidas Star Wars party hosted by Snoop Dogg which was attended by the likes of Ryan Phillippe. All sorts of geek alarms are SCREAMING in my head right now. I understand that Lindsay Lohan was in attendance as well (after all, she’ll show up at the opening of an envelope these days) but no word on if she fell into any potted plants. Ryan‘s lookin’ pretty fly in that white adidas track jacket … he really makes the Dark Side look so appealing.

Tom Lenk, Rock of Ages Though Joss Whedon fans will recognize him from his three-season turn as Andrew on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lenk returned to ROA in September after creating the role for the show’s original 2006 Los Angeles run. Brooks Atkinson Theatre, RockofAgesMusical.com. Blue crocodile-printed tank top and navy pants by Versace. Black high-top sneakers with zip detail by Marc by Marc Jacobs.

I think Tommy makes a fantastic male model, don’t you? He’s like the real-life Zoolander, no? After the jump, check out his other photo from this spread in Out magazine … More »

A source exclusively reveals to us that Linds is in talks with the L.A.-based clothing company to launch a new line of handbags. “Lindsay and the design team at Ed Hardy have mutual friends, and they knew she was interested in looking for a handbag license and partner,” our source says. “They thought she’d be a good fit and so did she.” So far, it sounds like the collaboration is running smoothly. “As of last week, there are three collections in development and numerous more are expected,” our source says. “Lindsay is very directly involved with the project, and she’s always pulling things online and from magazines for ideas.” This isn’t Lohan’s first involvement in the handbag business. In 2007, she was the celeb face of Jill Stuart handbags, and in 2004, she did the same for Dooney & Bourke … No word yet on when the Lohan-Ed Hardy collaboration will be released.

Ugh. It’s just all so … tragic. It’s beyond tragic … I’m not sure what more tragic than tragic can be called … but if there is such a word for this level of tragedy, it would be a great way to describe Lindsay Lohan teaming up with Ed Hardy. Ugh. To think, she previously worked with great brands like Jill Stuart, Dooney & Bourke and Emanuel Ungaro … and now she’s working with a “fashion” line that is popular among castmembers of MTV‘s Jersey Shore. To fall from such great heights …. ah, Lindsay.

To promote the return of the hit Fox TV series Glee, the network is releasing weekly installments of the fictional local TV opinion reports Sue’s Corner, as featured on the show, for our viewing pleasure. Fans of Glee know that the character Sue Sylvester, played by Jane Lynch, appears on the local TV news program spouting off her personal opinions on news of the day. Starting this week, we will get to see those segements of Sue’s Corner online. Here are screencaps from the first report titled Sneaky Gays:

This report gives a very good example of why we love the Sue Sylvester character so much. I’ve already watched this twice already … it’s really funny. Both Neil Patrick Harris and Adam Lambert get shout-outs … but you’ll have to watch to understand why their mention is so funny. Check it out in full, after the jump … More »

According to new reports circulating on the Internets today, funnyman Conan O’Brien is reportedly close to signing a new deal with Fox that would, presumably, have our dear Conan hosting his own late night TV show on the 4th network. Apparently, official news of the deal will be announced in May … but this report should be taken with a huge grain of salt since I’ve yet to find a major news outlet to give credence to the news. Even still, here are the deets as they are circulating:

Comedian Conan O’Brien will be joining the Fox TV network, some websites are reporting. BroadcastNewsroom.com said Tuesday the official announcement would come at Fox’s annual presentation to advertisers on May 17. The former host of NBC’s Tonight Show is currently traveling around North America on his one-man show, “The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour.”

I think pretty much everyone is expecting that if Conan is going to get another late night hosting gig, it will come from Fox so none of this should be a terrible surprise. My fear is that any late night talk show on Fox might be doomed for failure. The network doesn’t have a great track record with late night talk shows (which is why Fox usually airs reruns of their biggest hits during the late night hours) … it would be a shame for Conan to sign a new contract with a new network for a new talk show that might get canceled all too soon. In Conan‘s defense, tho, if there’s anyone who can make a show like this succeed on Fox, it’s Conan O’Brien. I guess if he wants the gig, Fox is his only option. If this turns out to be true, I’ll wish him all the luck in the world. He may need it.

We are just about 3 months away from the release of the third film in The Twilight Saga movie franchise but today we are getting our first look at the first movie poster released from The Twilight Saga: Eclipse … check it out:

As far as Twilight movie posters go, this one seems pretty tame … but it’s clear the focus this time is squarely on our favorite threesome — Bella Swan and her two men, vampire Edward Cullen and werewolf Jacob Black. Considering the film is only month’s away from release, I’m surprised we haven’t been seeing more promo materials from this film but … at last, the new stuff is getting released. What do y’all think of this poster … do we like?

We’ve been hit with parody porn based on Saved by the Bell, everyone’s favorite Playgirl model Levi Johnston and the werewolves from Twilight … and today we learn that nothing is sacred anymore as Vivid Entertainment has announced the release of a new porn film based on Batman! Hold on to your hats, comic book fans … Bat-Porn is comin’ your way:

Vivid Entertainment is inviting the (age verified) public onto the Axel Braun Productions set of “Batman XXX: A Porn Parody” via live streaming video. The behind-the-scenes webcast takes place from Thursday, April 1 through Saturday, April 3. “Batman XXX: A Porn Parody”, a spoof of the campy 60’s TV show, is the first one of four Axel Braun parodies to be distributed by Vivid, the world’s leading adult entertainment studio. Click here (LINK NSFW) for times of webcasts. “Anticipation is definitely running high for this project”, says Braun, fresh off his Director Of The Year win at the XBiz award show. “We’ve obviously touched a nostalgic nerve, because we’ve been getting tons of e-mails from fans all over the world, and the teaser on YouTube has gotten over 100,000 views. This is a great chance for people to visit our set from the comfort of their own homes and watch us work uncensored and unedited while we make the movie.” Visitors to the “Batman XXX: A Porn Parody” live production will be taken behind the scenes as the stars get into their characters, from make-up chair to bedroom action. They will see adult superstar Dale DaBone in the lead role, James Deen as his sidekick, along with Evan Stone, Randy Spears, Lexi Belle and Performer of The Year Tori Black. The stellar supporting cast includes Alexis Texas, Andy San Dimas, and reigning Best Actress award winner Kimberly Kane. “This is the first in a series of exclusive live production set programs we are planning,” says Steven Hirsch, founder/co-chairman of Vivid. “We couldn’t have a chosen a better project to kick it off — “Batman XXX: A Porn Parody” offers a combination of great sex, humor and drama — all the ingredients of a terrific parody. Axel truly assembled a phenomenal cast, and he’s so passionate about this production that I have no doubt people who sign up for the live streaming event will be watching the making of a blockbuster!” Accessing the live streaming is easy: just visit www.vivid.com and click on a “Batman XXX: A Porn Parody” banner, then follow the instructions. You’ll be behind the scenes in no time!

DISCLAIMER: Batman XXX: A Porn Parody is a parody movie. Batman®, Robin®, Batman & Robin®, Catwoman®, The Riddler®, Batgirl®, and The Joker® are registered trademarks of DC Comics, a General Partnership, composed of Warner Communications Inc. and E.C. Publications, Inc. This video is not sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated with DC Comics General Partnership, Warner Communications Inc. or E.C. Publications, Inc. or any other person or entity affiliated with any of them.

Lord have mercy, what will they think of next. I don’t even know what to say .. I’m guessing this film will feature porn stars wearing Batman and co. costumes doing very naughty things to one another. I am a HUGE Batman fan but … I don’t think this film is for me. After the jump, check out a SAFE FOR WORK VIEWING video trailer for this raunchy new film — it’s animated, safe for viewing and kinda hilarious … More »

Motherhood can often be something of a juggling act, but Nicole Richie seemed to have it well in hand as she stepped out in Los Angeles yesterday. The 28-year-old was seen carrying her cute little children, six-month-old son Sparrow and daughter Harlow, two, to a friend’s birthday party in Hollywood. The former reality TV star looked a picture of boho chic in a colourful kaftan, denim hotpants and black boots that featured a cut-out design.

Aww … so cute!! I love that Nicole is able to juggle her bizzy life with motherhood (literally, sometimes) very successfully. She is such a great mom. After the jump, check out one more photo of Nicole with her little chickadees as they made their way to their little birthday party yesterday … More »

“Twilight” actor Kellan Lutz is the newest recruit in “War of the Gods,” the upcoming Greek mythology epic from director Tarsem Singh (“The Fall”). Lutz has earned the role of Poseidon, the Greek god that rules over the seas, according to Variety. He joins an impressive cast list that includes Henry Cavill (“The Tudors”) as the heroic Theseus, Mickey Rourke (“Iron Man 2″) as the ruthless King Hyperion and Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”) as Phaedra, an oracle priestess. “War of the Gods” is a swords-and-sandals epic centered on mortal soldiers caught in a war between the eternal Greek gods and the evil Titans, with the fate of mankind hanging in the balance. Production is scheduled to begin in April based on a screenplay written by Jason Keller … War of the Gods” is the latest in a string of movies dealing with Greek mythology. Director Chris Columbus’ “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” debuted in February to positive reviews and solid box-office success, while Louis Leterrier’s “Clash of the Titans” remake will land in both regular and 3-D theaters on April 2.

Now that vampires have become the supernatural hit du jour, I guess the focus is moving on to gods next. How long until the witch craze (which we remember from films like The Craft and TV shows like Charmed) catches on again? I’m actually surprised that Harry Potter hasn’t inspired a return of witch-themed films and TV shows. I’m all for these new supernatural endeavors … they’re fun. I am really excited about Clash of the Titans and this War of the Gods sounds great. I’ve been a big fan of Greek myth since childhood … and, as I mentioned above, Kellan would make a great looking god. Yum!!

I believe this is the first chance that Gisele‘s family in Brazil will get to meet her baby boy who was born 3 months ago. I’m certain the Bündchens are just aching to smother the little guy with their love and affection … which is prolly where Gisele gets it from ;) I hope Gisele and Ben have a great time in Brazil … it’s a shame that hubby/daddy Tom Brady couldn’t go with them. Perhaps he is too bizzy with training?

Has Sandra Bullock updated her Facebook profile to reflect that her new relationship status is single? Well … that all depends on whether or not this Facebook profile really belongs to her or not:

Despite the fact that this profile claims that it has been “verified” by Facebook, I find it very unlikely that the page belongs to or is controlled by Sandra Bullock. Chances are, this is a fake profile … but it does express what we pretty much all hope … that Sandra is ready to dump her slime-ball hubby. What do y’all think … is this really Sandra‘s Facebook profile?

David and I are the lucky owners of a beautiful new, handcrafted table made by our friend Eric. I’ve been a huge fan of Eric’s work for months and I finally got the chance to own one of his beautiful pieces. Eric, who is based in the Northwest, was kind enough to bring a table down to LA so that we could take possession of it … and it is beautiful:

You can check out Eric’s basic website HERE and watch for updates on how YOU may be able to purchase one of his his pieces. They are truly a work of art and I feel so lucky to finally own one of his tables. Because we are using it as our coffee table, it’ll become the centerpiece of our lives … we tend to eat in front of the TV so now we’ll have a beautiful table to enjoy all the while ;) I’ll be sure to update here on the blog when his site is better set up to handle orders. Isn’t this table amazing? I love it!!

Tonight, I’m planning a little sojourn down South so meet up with my homies Josh and Emma for a trip to Chick-Fil-A. It’s been far too long since my last visit … I need a fix. Hope your day is coming along nicely, mine’s been a beaut so far :)

Keri Russell (Felicity) is 34, Damon Albarn of Blur & Gorillaz is 42, Richard Grieco is 45, Catherine Keener is 51, Chaka Khan is 57 and Ric Ocasek of The Cars is 61 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

Earlier this week, ChristinaAguilera.com was updated with a cryptic message that BIG NEWS was on the way alongside a countdown timer that hit zero today. Once the timer ran out, the site was updated with our first look at the artwork for Xtina‘s new single Not Myself Tonight:

Thus far … this is all the news on Xtina‘s new music that we have to go on. There is a new countdown timer on her site which promises the release of more BIG NEWS but we won’t know what said news is until tomorrow. I can’t say that I was a big fan of Xtina‘s most recent work but I’m encouraged that his new album will feature collaborations with some great folks (including the amazing singer/songwriter Sia). I’ll reserve judgment ’til I hear some of her new music. In the meantime, what do y’all think of this single cover artwork? Do we like?

The Washington Post is reporting today that the next season of Top Chef will be filmed in Washington DC. Citing inside sources and the fact that many recent contestants hailed from the District of Columbia, the Post seems sure that season 7 will take place in our Nation’s capitol city … read on:

The next season of Bravo’s hit “Top Chef” is set to be taped in Washington this spring, sources say. The reality competition show — about to enter its seventh season — has boosted the careers of local chefs such as Carla Hall, Spike Mendelsohn and Bryan Voltaggio. There was a sizable local presence on the show last season, with Zaytinya’s Mike Isabella; Bryan Voltaggio, chef-owner of Volt in Frederick; and Michael Voltaggio, Bryan’s brother, then at the L.A. restaurant of Washington’s José Andrés. Washington’s Carla Hall made it to the finals the previous season, as well. And Spike Mendelsohn has opened Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill.

I suppose DC is as good a city as any to play host to Top Chef and it is very likely that the show would want to capitalize on the talent that comes from that area. To be honest, I’d love Top Chef anywhere … it’s not really the location that I really focus on, it’s the talent. That being said, I wouldn’t mind seeing some of the famed and historic landmarks in DC being featured as the backdrop to season 7 of Top Chef! Bring it on.

The Beckham boys must be wondering which parent is going to walk through the front door next. Having spent the last week at their Los Angeles home with their mother Victoria, tonight they will be happily welcoming the arrival of their father David as he jetted out of London bound for the US this morning. But unfortunately for Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, they won’t get Mummy and Daddy together this time – but they will get to play with Grandad. Like ships in the night, David, 34, arrived at London’s Heathrow airport this morning to catch a flight to Los Angeles, just as Victoria, 35, flew in from California to catch a connecting flight. David was accompanied by his father Ted as he hobbled his way through the terminal on crutches after he tore his Achilles tendon while playing for AC Milan last week. And any tiny hope that he might be fit to play for England in this summer’s World Cup were soon dashed, the uncomfortable grimace on his face all too apparent. He has been convalescing at the family home at Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire, where he no doubt caught up with his parents Ted and Sandra and and his sister Danielle, while Victoria flew back to Los Angeles to be with their boys. She had been by his side in Finland as he underwent an operation for his injury before accompanying him back to their Hertfordshire home – dubbed Beckingham Palace – to take care of him. But not wanting to leave their three sons in the care of their nanny for too long, she left her husband behind as she flew back to Los Angeles on Friday, a glum look on her face as she went to board the plane. But as her fashion career takes off, so does the pressure to jet around the world promoting her collections, which she faced today as she once again left her sons to fly back into London, ever the fashionista in a pair of green, military-inspired, slouchy harem trousers. It is unknown where she was headed or whether she and David even managed to see each other as they went their separate ways. But by the miserable look on Victoria’s face as she made her way to her connecting flight this morning, she probably hadn’t been able to have a brief reunion with her husband of 11 years.

Ahh … the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Sure, it sounds like a dream life … and then you have scenarios like this one “enjoyed” by Les Beckhams. I bet Becks would give anything to be able to recuperate with his entire family intact but, alas, duty calls VB away. I know it may be hard from some people to feel sorry for them but I imagine recovering from surgery really sucks. I’m sure Becks will be happy to be reunited with his sons … and hopefully VB will be back home in no time. It’s so sad to see Becks on crutches … I really hope he is able to heal quickly.

A group of engineers and enthusiasts who leased an old Polaroid film factory in the Netherlands announced Monday that they had successfully reinvented instant film and will start selling packs this week. The news gives new life to some old Polaroid cameras. The company, called The Impossible Project, will sell film for SX-70 cameras made in the ’70s as well as more recent cameras that take 600-series film. Each film pack will cost $21 and produce eight black-and-white images. The company plans to introduce color film this summer, and expects to make 1 million packs in the first year. The film will be sold online initially, but the company expects to make it available in some stores as well. Polaroid stopped making instant film in 2008 … The revival of instant film was dubbed The Impossible Project because of the complexity of the product, and because key materials used in Polaroid’s formulation were no longer available, so the startup had to figure out a new way to make the film. The original Polaroid Corp. filed for bankruptcy in 2001, followed by the successor company in 2008. Holding company PLR IP now controls the Polaroid brand name, licensing its use mainly to electronics companies. It is not involved in The Impossible Project and the new packs won’t carry the Polaroid brand. However, PLR IP announced in January that new instant-film cameras would be launched this year that can use the packs.

This is truly amazing … do you see what a group of like-minded individuals can accomplish if they work hard enough for it? They can literally do the impossible! Just a couple years ago, the notion of Polaroid instant film was DEAD … now, we have the promise of brand new film to look forward to. As a big Polaroid fan, I couldn’t be more thrilled with this accomplishment. I’m so pleased that Polaroid is on board with this revival … their decision to manufacture a new camera to coincide with he release of this new film is brilliant. People … now is the time to get into taking photos with Polaroid instant cameras!! Now that we have Impossible Project film that will work in Polaroid cameras, there’s no excuse not to get in on the fun. Woot!!

There are a couple of conflicting reports going around about an alleged altercation in Montreal, Canada that involved actor Jake Gyllenhaal over the weekend. On the one hand, a blogger who goes by the name DrunkenStepfather alleges that Jake assaulted a female friend of his after said blogger made a comment about Jake “kissing” the late Heath Ledger. On the other hand, an impartial third party witness clarifies that the comment made was not about “kissing” Heath but rather “killing” him and Jake — very obviously angry — merely called for the ejection of said blogger and his friends. I’ve had some personal dealings with this blogger and I can absolutely believe that he made the “killing” joke in the attempt to illicit a response from Gyllenhaal. Here’s a report from E! that details the whole disgusting scenario:

Did Jake Gyllenhaal roughhouse with a woman this weekend? No, we don’t mean in the fun way, babes. There’s a report going around that the Prince of Persia star got into a little altercation up in Montreal over the weekend. And we’re here to sort things out for you … The alleged incident supposedly went down Saturday night at restaurant Garde-Manger. Apparently Gyllenhaal was dancing on the bench of his table with a group of pals, ticking off a blogger from DrunkenStepfather a few feet away who found the show to be quite egocentric. Said blogger then went up to Jake’s table, turned to a girl there and goes (according the blogger himself): “Hey isn’t that the guy who kissed Heath Ledger?” Gyllenhaal apparently got in the guys face, told him to f–ck off and got the dude escorted out of the club. Only problem is in this he-said, he-said tale is that the blogger also claims his female guest was pushed about 10 times by Gyllenhaal before J.G.’s crew pulled him away. Gyllenhaal’s rep claims blogger’s story is “libelous” and informs us his lawyers are taking “immediate action” … Jake was definitely at the restaurant Saturday night (he’s a regular there) as was the blogger. Main discrepancy here? We’re told by sources who were present that the blogger in question said, “Hey isn’t that the guy who killed Heath Ledger?” prompting Jake to yell to the bouncers “get these guys out of my face.” The instigator and his crew were then thrown out. We originally read this blog post yesterday, where the site definitely had “killed” not “kissed” up until it was later changed. The post actually backs up this supposed kill claim by ranting in the item that if Jake was Ledger’s friend, he probably would have been there for him in his low point. Seriously can’t say we blame Gyllenhaal’s heated reaction. “Isn’t that the guy who killed Heath Ledger?” Not a funny joke, dude. We wish punches were thrown. As for this girl who was supposedly caught in the crossfire? Onlookers tell us “there were a bunch of girls” there but “no one was shoved or hurt.” Jake is currently in Montreal filming Source Code, which won’t be affected by this nonincident. We hear filming has been going “great” up there before this.

I’m telling you, I absolutely believe that the “killing” comment was made (and I do believe the story posted on his blog was changed in order to backtrack). This blogger has made a “career” out of writing some of the most outrageous things possible in order to offend in any way possible … I mean, that’s his shtick. It’s not the sort of thing that I endorse but I can understand that is a niche market that can entertain some people. To make an outrageous comment concerning the death of a friend is to absolutely ask for a response like this … so I’m not sure what the surprise is. Whatever actually went down, I’m certain that Jake was very happy to defend the honor of his late friend … and this blogger is prolly very much enjoying the attention his comment has garnered. It remains to be seen if this is the last we’ll hear of this story … but I wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of legalness comes from this verbal altercation. We shall see.

My girl Shannen Doherty, who shot to fame on two of my fave TV shows — Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, made her debut on the season 10 premiere of the competitive reality TV series Dancing with the Stars. Shannen and her 9 competitors performed LIVE on the show last night for the first time this season and, in my completely biased opinion, Shannen was amazing!!

Dimension Films has greenlit “Scream 4″ to shoot this spring with a release date of April 12, 2011 — more than a decade after the release of “Scream 3.” Wes Craven will direct and Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox Arquette will reprise their roles along with a group of younger thesps. Dimension said its 2011 slate focuses on continuing its most successful franchises. The original “Scream” grossed more than $170 million worldwide in 1996; “Scream 2″ also took in more than $170 million in 1997 and “Scream 3″ topped $160 million after it was released in 2000. Craven helmed all three pics, which starred Campbell, Arquette and Cox Arquette. “‘Scream’ has been such an integral part of Dimension’s history, and I look forward to continuing the franchise,” said Dimension Films chief Bob Weinstein, who is also co-chairman of the Weinstein Co.

Hot damn, this is great news!! While April 2011 is still MORE than a year away we can take some comfort that we have a release date to look forward to. Considering that we just started hearing about specifics regarding casting last July and now we have everyone on board to reprise their roles AND an announced shooting schedule and release date … well, I think it’s all moving along very nicely. I hope we get to see some photos from the set of the film in the coming weeks … but we should be seeing promo stuff sometime at the end of this year to prep us for next year. WEE!! I love the Scream movies … all 3 of them. I am DYING to see what’s in store for part four!!

The chain of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum/attractions have commissioned new artwork to pay tribute to some of the most iconic celebrities for display in their stores around the country. Among the celebs immortalized are Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe … and the medium used for these pieces? Candy! Check ‘em out:

These amazing pieces of art have been made out of gumdrops, licorice and M&M’s. I understand that the pieces will be shared among the various Ripley’s locales … I know we have a Ripley’s museum here in Hollywood, CA. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind having one of these pieces hanging in my own home … I think a portrait of Britney Spears made out of candy would look EXCELLENT over our fireplace mantle. Which one of these do you like best?

Sarah Jessica Parker, her husband Matthew Broderick and their 3 children James Wilkie, Marion Loretta and Tabitha Hodge stepped out together as a family unit in NYC this weekend to make their way out into the brisk Spring air. Here are a few pics of the family (and their nannies) stepping out of their NYC brownstone home this weekend:

I’m sure it won’t be too long before little Misses Marion and Tabitha will be weighted down with hats and sunglasses like the rest of the fam … for now, we get to see them uncovered and unfettered. I don’t get the whole cap and sunglasses disguise … like, we don’t know who you are when you’re wearing a ball cap … but I digress. So happy to see the new baby girls enjoying their first Spring season :)

New mom Gisele Bündchen stepped out here in SoCal today to take her baby boy Benjamin Rein for a check-up at a local medical center. As you can see from the following photos, Gisele is a very protective mother … unfortch for little Ben, she might be a bit too protective for his own good:

Aww … poor Ben. The wee one prolly just wants to breath some fresh air and all it looks like he’s gettin’ in these photos is a face full of boobs. While I’m pretty cure that Gisele is being very careful not to actually smother her baby, it still looks like she’s holding him a bit too tight ;) It’s okay … she’s a new mom. I’m sure she’ll get the hang of it all soon enough.

Ewan McGregor has joined the cast of Madonna’s upcoming project W.E. to play Edward VIII. McGregor, currently starring in Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer, will portray the British Monarch who famously abdicated the throne in 1936 order to marry America divorcee Wallis Simpson. As previously announced Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga will portray Simpson. Abbie Cornish, most recently seen in Bright Star, is set to play a contemporary character in a parallel time line reminiscent of Julie & Julia. Shakespeare In Love producer David Parfitt is producing with former Miramax executive Colin Vaines. Madonna will direct and is writing the screenplay with her Truth Or Dare director Alek Keshishian.

This is great news for Madonna … scoring an amazing actor like Ewan McGregor gives her film much weight and ensures a better chance at success. This is bad news for Ewan, I’m afraid, cuz … well … he’ll be starring in a film directed by Madonna. What do y’all think … is this good news or bad news?

As you may recall, Ryan split from his girlfriend Abbie Cornish last month so he’s got a lot of alonetime on his hands. I’m sure he was thrilled to have the kids with him this weekend. It remains to be seen how quickly he’ll reattach himself to a new ladylove but something tells me he won’t be single for long. But, for now, it’s nice to see him just being a plain ol’ daddy.

Yesterday was a really fun, super relaxing day around here. Now that Spring is finally underway, David and decided to venture out and enjoy some of it. We meandered out for brunch at Mauro’s Cafe at Fred Segal on Melrose, Ave. before making our way to The Grove to putz around:

The best thing about Sundays is that you can take them at your own pace … and you can do whatever it is that you want. I have to agree with The Bangles … Sunday is my funday.

Today, I am having a beautiful new table delivered which was custom made by my friend Eric Antonelli. I’ve been dying for one of Eric’s tables for a long time … today, it arrives!!

I hope all y’all are having a great Monday … well, at least I hope you’re having a great day ;)

Mims is 29, Reese Witherspoon is 34, Matthew Modine is 51, Bob Costas is 58, Andrew Lloyd Webber is 62, William Shatner is 79 and Stephen Sondheim is 80 years old today. Click HERE to see who else is celebrating a birthday today.

We are just 83 days away from the premiere of the 3rd season of True Blood and to celebrate, we get to check out an all too-short promo clip from HBO that takes us on set and behind the scenes of filming on the show:

Mary Lynn Rajskub, who plays the amazing Chloe O’Brian on the FOX TV series 24, just shared a photo on her official Twitter account to promote tonight’s episode of 24. Those of you who watch the show know that the NYC headquarters of CTU was compromised at the end of last week’s episode … and this photo gives us a peek at what’s gonna go down on tonight’s new ep:

This is a pretty sweet photo Fox gave me to promote 24 tonight!!!

Woot!! While it pains me that this season of 24 has been sucking HARDCORE, I’m encouraged by the fact that Chloe is being called upon to kick terrorist ass on tonight’s ep. Longtime fans of 24 know that Chloe spends all of her time behind desks inside the (relative) safety of CTU. It’s extremely rare that Chloe is armed and has to operate in the field. It’s so rare that she’s only ever done it once before … back in 2005, Chloe O’Brian was forced to leave CTU and go into the field. In that ep, she was ambushed by terrorists but she managed to pull out a MACHINE GUN and waste their sorry asses!! I am SO looking forward to tonight’s ep. Chloe + gun = AWESOMENESS! Finally … a reason to be excited about 24 again!!

Reese Witherspoon looked relaxed and happy as she celebrated her 34th birthday with her new man, Hollywood agent Jim Toth, on a low-key visit to Ojai, Calif., this weekend. Smiling, holding hands and sporting baseball caps and sunglasses, the couple were spotted on Saturday at a farmer’s market in Ojai, which is in Ventura County, near Santa Barbara … The quiet weekend was in contrast to the Oscar winner’s 33rd birthday, when she was feted with a surprise birthday party at the Los Angeles premiere of Monsters vs. Aliens.

What a difference a year makes. I have to say, tho, that I much prefer her birthday celebration this year to her celebration last year. I am TOTALLY ON BOARD with this relationship. Reese needs a nice, stable man to love her … I think her pairing with Jim is prolly the best possible scenario. He’s in the biz (working for CAA) so he gets her and yet, he’s still a private person so he brings none of the celebrity baggage to the relationship … AND they look great together! I love these two together and it thrills me to no end to see that they are still very happily attached! Woot! Happy Birthday, Reese!! Hang on to this one, okay?

Through the years, comic-book films took audiences to all the predictable places, including the grim streets of Gotham City and the doomed spires of planet Krypton, but, a decade ago, a new type of comic-book film had the audacity to set its opening sequence in a truly unexpected place — the gates of Auschwitz, where Jewish families were bring marched through mud on their way to death and despair. From those first moments, “X-Men” set itself apart from the entire Hollywood history of comic-book adaptations and marked the beginning of this current era of fanboy cinema, which has dominated the box office and elevated San Diego’s Comic-Con International into something resembling a Cannes for capes. “The opening, it really was a declaration of intent,” producer Lauren Shuler Donner said of that sequence, which showed a terrified young boy exhibiting mutant powers as his family was separated by German guards. “It said to the audience this is a serious film, grounded in the realistic and the historic and somewhat dark. It was so smart. And it was all totally Bryan.” That would be Bryan Singer, the director of “X-Men” and its first sequel, who was sitting next to Shuler Donner in her office on a recent afternoon. The pair both had big smiles on their faces — they had been reunited by an invitation to reminisce about the legacy of the July 2000 release, which they were happy to do, but the conversation kept veering into giddy plans for the future. Singer is returning to the “X-Men” universe, it’s clear now, for a project called “X-Men: First Class”; it’s all just a matter of timing. “I had lunch with Hugh Jackman today,” Singer said, and Shuler Donner, after asking for an off-the-record moment, pressed the 44-year-old filmmaker for details. A few minutes later, with the recorder back on, Singer said he is mightily enthused to work again with Shuler Donner, who has produced two X-films without him, the Brett Ratner-directed “X-Men: The Last Stand” in 2006 and the Gavin Hood-directed “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in 2009. “I genuinely like the people, and my personality meshes more with this universe than it does with other universes, I think; I see that now at this point,” Singer said, no doubt referring to his defection to the DC Comics universe to make the oddly lifeless 2006 movie “Superman Returns.” “I feel a connection to the X-Men characters and also the ensemble nature of the films. If you look at ‘Usual Suspects” or my last film, ‘Valkyrie,’ I feel especially comfortable with ensemble juggling. In the space between all the characters you can disguise a central thought that’s hidden in all the discourse. I missed that with the singular relationship story of Superman. And, well, it always gives you something to cut to…”

This fairly extensive interview with the LA Times continues behind the cut. Read on to get a taste of what Singer has in store for X-Men fans in the upcoming prequel film First Class — after the jump … More »

The 25th annual LA Marathon took place here in SoCal yesterday and for the first time ever was a completely sold out event. Additionally, the race route — titled City to the Sea — was an entirely new one that allowed participants to run from Dodger Stadium near downtown LA all the way to the ocean in Santa Monica, passing famed LA landmarks along the way. Among the runners in this year’s LA marathon was actor Shia LaBeouf … behold:

Shia LaBeouf, chef Gordon Ramsay and “Lord of the Rings” star Sean Astin will be among those making history in the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 21. The trio will be among the celebrities taking part in the run, which has sold out for the first time in its 25-year history. Twenty-five thousand marathon men and women will gather at Dodgers Stadium for the start on Sunday morning. Wrestler-turned-film star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and actress Julia Louis-Dreyfuss will be among the stars cheering on the runners at checkpoints along the route.

Last year’s LA Marathon winner Wesley Korir was, once again, the winner this year with a time of 02:09:19 … but runs like this aren’t about who wins, they are about successful completion of the course no matter how long it takes. Shia here completed the run with a time of 04:37:18, coming in at #5839 (with a rating of 45.3% for his Sex Grade, MEN 18 TO 24). I don’t think I could ever handle a marathon run so my hat is off to Shia and anyone else who is able to successfully complete a marathon. Congrats!!